Exit: Post-Populism and the Rise of Antipolitics 

 

In many parts of the world, rightwing populism is entering a new phase: a phase of defeat. Only recently triumphant in electoral politics, many rightwing leaders are now reeling from failures, prompting their followers contemplate futures for themselves and their causes outside of democracy. 

 

This talk argues that, for many, that future is one of withdrawal from society, sometimes referred to by insiders simply as exit. Rightwing exit manifests tangibly at times, in form of emigration, relocating domestically to communes, or removing oneself or one’s family from public institutions. Other times exit occurs in less tangible ways, though an individual’s psychic or social withdrawal, or through decision to no longer participate faithfully in public political discourse. 

 

But though such moves may appear benign or even advantageous to the opponents of radical right, this talk argues that exit has the potential to be unexpectedly disruptive to domestic and international politics.