The Many Faces of Populism

Populism has become a contested and controversial word in contemporary politics. But what does “populism” really mean?

Despite its relatively short history, the term follows a rather volatile trajectory in terms of its historical development and presence as a political practice. When we look at its political and moral impact, one can see that despite its often strict national commitments and narratives, populism is rather a global political phenomenon. As embodiment of anti-establishment narratives, polarizing attitudes, and emancipatory appeal, we can follow its occurrence from Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the USA and UK, the Middle East, all the way to China and India. 

This edited volume helps fill a gap in the existing literature on Critical Theory (broadly construed) and populism, focusing on the multiple dimensions of historical and contemporary contexts for today’s rising populist movements and their often – but not necessarily – hostile relations towards cosmopolitanism, globalization, environmentalism, and general notions of inclusion and justice.

Contributors include: Emília Barna, Ronald Beiner, Dustin J. Byrd, Samir Gandesha, Carlos Antonio Giovinazzo Júnior, Mlado Ivanovic, Yonathan Listik, Grigoris Markou, Jeremiah Morelock, Felipe Ziotti Narita, Ágnes Patakfalvi- Czirják, Maria Cristina Dancham Simões and Hassan Zaheer.

Dustin J. Byrd, Ph.D. (2016), Michigan State University, is Professor of Humanities at Olivet College, where he teaches religion, philosophy and Arabic. He has published monographs and articles on both Islam and Critical Theory, including Ayatollah Khomeini and the Anatomy of the Islamic Revolution in Iran: Toward a Theory of Prophetic Charisma (University Press of America, 2011) and A Critique of Ayn Rand’s Philosophy of Religion: The Gospel According to John Galt (Lexington Books, 2015).

Publication date: November 21, 2025