When: May 13, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Where: Departmental Conference Room (next to the EcoS Office, Room 2F-O1-27A) or via Zoom (click HERE)
Populism and Democratic Resilience in East Asia: The Cases of Japan and The Republic of Korea
The emergence of a new, intensified rivalry between authoritarian and democratic regimes and the prevalence of political polarisation in Europe and North America has raised important questions about the sustainability of democratic norms and institutional safeguards. Until recently, Northeast Asia seemed relatively immune from the contagion of populist politics. The institutions of government have been robust and public support for and engagement with mainstream politics in the region has been relatively high. However, it remains unclear whether this trend will continue. The talk will consider how best to define populism as a political phenomenon, explore a number of theoretical perspectives for thinking about populism and consider the phenomenon’s salience in both Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK). Understanding populism in this context offers some insights into comparable phenomena and trends in the past as well as likely policy developments in the near future.
Biography
John Nilsson-Wright (formerly Swenson-Wright) is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (FAMES) at the University of Cambridge, an Official Fellow at Darwin College and Head of the Japan and Koreas Programme at the Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge. He is a graduate of Christ Church and St. Antony’s Colleges, Oxford, and SAIS Johns Hopkins University. He was Head of the Chatham House Asia Programme from March 2014 to October 2016 and has also been the Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia and Korea Foundation Fellow with Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific Programme. He is also a non-resident fellow at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, ROK; Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Korea Centre, East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS); and a non-resident fellow at the Centre for North Korean Studies at the University of Vienna.
Additional Information
If you intend to participate physically, please arrive early to secure seating as our space is limited. The event is open to all, and we look forward to welcoming you to an afternoon of engaging discourse and debate.
