The study of populism is developing as a sub-discipline of comparative politics. Yet the term "populism" has become so widely used in the media that its salience as an empirical category could be called into question. In his presentation, Pr. Camroux will suggest three ways of looking at populism: as strategy, performative style and thin ideology, and propose, following Jan Müller, a limited definition. In looking at three contemporary leaders in Southeast Asia - Rodrigo Duterte, Hun Sen and Aung San Suu Kyi – he will argue that populist theory provides a useful analytical grid for examining contemporary political practice.

This Event is Co-Sponsored by Schwarzman College and the Centre Franco-Chinois, Tsinghua University.

David Camroux is an Honorary Research Fellow at the French Centre of International Studies (CERI). His main research fields include comparative regional integration (EU-Asia) with subjects such as the EU as a global actor in Asia; nationalism and ‘nation-building’, regime consolidation and regionalisation in Southeast Asia; domestic politics, religious resurgence in Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand; migration, globalization and ‘transnationalism’ in Southeast Asia; and finally Australia in their Asian environment.

Both an internationalist and a comparatist, he is currently working on two subjects, namely populism in Southeast Asia, with a focus on Rodrigo Duterte; and Australia, Indonesia and the ASEAN ‘centrality’ in a new geopolitical entity: the Indo-Pacific.

CFLD Hall, Schwarzman College, Level B1

Tsinghua University, Peking University, and other Beijing-based University students, faculty, and staff can register by scanning the QR code. Attendees must show their confirmed reservation and valid University ID to access this event. Attendees will be admitted to Schwarzman College on condition that they adhere to all building and event policies. This event is not open to members of the media and will be held off the record. No attributions or descriptions of this event may be published or shared online without the written consent from both Tsinghua University and Schwarzman College. This lecture will be given in English.