Democracy's Paradox: Populism and its Contemporary Crisis

by Bruce Kapferer (Editor)

Does populism indicate a radical crisis in Western democratic political systems? Is it a revolt by those who feel they have too little voice in the affairs of state or are otherwise marginalized or oppressed? Or are populist movements part of the democratic process? Bringing together different anthropological experiences of current populist movements, this volume makes a timely contribution to these questions. Contrary to more conventional interpretations of populism as crisis, the authors instead recognize populism as integral to Western democratic systems. In doing so, the volume provides an important critique that exposes the exclusionary essentialisms spread by populist rhetoric while also directing attention to local views of political accountability and historical consciousness that are key to understanding this paradox of democracy.

100 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

B.A. University of Sydney 1963
PhD University of Manchester 1969

Academic Positions: Commonwealth Scholar & Research Affiliate, Rhodes Livingstone Institute (later Institute For African Studies), Zambia 1963-1966; Lecturer, Senior Lecturer , University of Manchester 1966-1973; Foundation Professor, University of Adelaide 1973-1985; Professor, University College London 1985 -1996; Foundation Professor, James Cook University 1996 - 1999, Professor, University of Bergen 1999 to date.

Kapferer has held Fellowships at Center For Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto; Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies, Wassenaar; Institute For Advanced Studies, Hebrew University; and Centre for Cultural Research, Aarhus. He has held posts of Visiting Professor at University of California, Los Angeles; University of Stockholm; University of Copenhagen, and University of Goteborg.

Fieldwork: Zambia (rural Bisa, miners and commercial workers) 1963-1966; Sri Lanka (Buddhist healing rites, nationalism and violence) 1972 and continuing; Australia (Australian Aborigines, White Australian nationalism, state forms) 1974 to date; Globalisation (specific reference to Sri Lanka, Kerala (India), South Africa) 1998 to date.

Current research: Ritual and the structure of healing among Sinhalese Buddhists. A major concern is with the theory of ritual. Comparative research is being conducted among teyyam specialists in northern Kerala. A major current concern is in the dynamics of ancient and modern state forms with particular reference to contemporary global processes. Comparative research is being conducted in India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and in Australia with particular attention to nationalism, violence, shifts in bureuacratic and corporate structures, NGOs etc.