Podcasts · The LRB Podcast

On Politics: Myths of Populism

· 1 h 12 min

Episode On Politics: Myths of Populism

0:00 1:12:25

The transformations of European politics over the past twenty years, including Britain’s vote to leave the EU and the rise of post-Soviet strongmen, are often explained as part of a ‘wave’ of populism. But as Jan-Werner Müller argues, populism is best understood as a form of politics that claims to represent the ‘real’ people and delegitimise its opponents, rather than a catch-all way to describe far-right and left-wing movements.

In this episode, Müller talks to James Butler about why misleading interpretations of populism have proved so dangerous for traditional parties, and the role of technocracy and digital platforms in the rise of anti-democratic politics.

From the LRB

Subscribe to the LRB: https://lrb.me/subslrbpod

Close Readings podcast: https://lrb.me/crlrbpod

LRB Audiobooks: https://lrb.me/audiobookslrbpod

Bags, binders and more at the LRB Store: https://lrb.me/storelrbpod

Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.