“Populism” has become a major buzzword – and political lightning rod – in world politics recently. From the U.S.’s Donald Trump, to France’s Marine Le Pen, India’s Narendra Modi, and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, populist leaders, parties, and movements are upending politics-as-usual in several democratic societies. Academics and pundits have warned that this both signals – and is a catalyst for – the erosion of liberal democratic rights, norms, and practices.
Yet, “populism” as a concept is subject to many differing uses, as well as significant debate and polarization.
- What exactly is populism and how does it differ from other political phenomena (e.g., nativism, fascism, authoritarianism)?
- What causes populism to emerge and gain strength in particular times and places?
- What does populism look like in practice, and how can it be reliably measured?
- What are the implications of populism for democracy, rights, and other societal outcomes?
Obtaining clear answers these questions is especially challenging in Canada, where a pervasive tale of “exceptionalism” insists populism has notarisen as a significant political force. Yet, the recent ascent of parties, leaders, and movements that use populist rhetoric to mobilize Canadians’ votes and approval suggests an urgent need to rethink that understanding.
This is the motivating objective of the Observatory of Populism in Canada.
Our core mission is to generate, support, and showcase robust empirical and theoretical research that elucidates populism’s role in Canadian society. Rather than promote a singular agenda, the Observatory is a multi-disciplinary hub through which researchers, media, and the interested public can:
- connect with experts on populism in Canada,
- access real-time data on the nature and prevalence of populist ideas, discourses, and strategies in Canadian political life,
- learn from the most recent research on Canadian populism, and
- interpret manifestations of populism in current events and debates.
The Observatory is connected to, and partially funded by, the York Research Chair in Populism, Rights, and Legality.