DSPO 25A63 - Political Identities in the Age of Discontent

The last fifteen years have been marked by a series of expressions of discontent around the globe, emerging in waves of protest (Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, Gilets jaunes) and in so-called “populist” movements, both right-wing (Trump, Brexit, Le Pen, Bolsonaro) and left-wing (Bernie, Podemos, SYRIZA, Lula). The aim of the course is to analyze these phenomena as a crisis of political identities in a context of growing precarity. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the course introduces, develops, and critically debates the main concepts of post-structuralist discourse theory (hegemony, antagonism, ideology), and their relation to communication theory, economics, and social psychology. The leitmotif of the module is the articulation of theoretical debate and empirical cases.
Thomas ZICMAN DE BARROS
Séminaire
English
Autumn 2023-2024
Three key passage proposals (40% of the grade): a one-page paper consisting of the selection and comment on an important passage of an assigned reading material; Final take-home essay (40% of the grade): a 2,000- word essay on a general topic; In-class participation (20% of the grade).
Butler, Judith. 2015. We, the People – Thoughts on Freedom of Assembly', In Notes Toward a Performative Theory of Assembly. Cambridge: Harvard University Press;
Eklundh, Emmy. 2019. Emotion and Reason in Collective Action', In Emotions, Protest, Democracy. New York: Routledge;
Gerbaudo, Paolo. 2021. The New Social Blocks', In The Great Recoil: Politics after Populism and Pandemic. London: Verso;
Nunes, Rodrigo. 2021. Revolution in Crisis', In Neither Vertical Nor Horizontal: A Theory of Organization. New York: Verso;
Santos, Nina. 2022. Social Media Logics. Cham: Springer.