There are traitors among us

On the Emotional Vicissitudes of Populist Politics

Bibliographic Data

ID4300940
AuthorsJulia Fierman (0000-0002-6020-7228)
Year2021
Volume34
Issue2
Pages234-249
Publication date2021-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Historical Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0952-1909 • E-ISSN: 1467-6443
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/johs.12326
OpenAlexW3174766881
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited20

This article examines fellowship and accusations of betrayal among members of a populist movement in contemporary Argentina. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among self-described "militants" of the Kirchnerist movement, a contemporary iteration of Peronism, this work makes a uniquely anthropological intervention into existing literature on populist politics, which tends to focus on populism's demonization of the enemy of "the people." In contrast, this article argues that a focus on the demonization of an external enemy misses essential dimensions of the social world of Peronist politics, which is primarily characterized by loving bonds of fellowship between Peronist militants. I show how, in moments of uncertainty, this emphasis on fellowship morphs into a preoccupation with treachery, such that concern with the potential insubordination of one's fellow Peronists eclipses animus towards external enemies. This article argues for greater attention to the lived experiences of adherents to populist movements to encourage a more holistic and nuanced understanding of the social world of populist politics

Adversary · Betrayal · Demonization · Ethnography · Media studies · Political science · Politics · Populism · Social movement · Sociology · Anthropology · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Music History and Culture · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Gender Studies · Law

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