Strongman

The Extraordinary Leaders of India and the Philippines

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6170681
AutoresArild Engelsen Ruud (0000-0002-4545-3690, University of Oslo, autor correspondente)
Ano2023
Volume11
Fascículo1
Páginas27-38
Data de publicação2023-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoStudies in Indian Politics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2321-0230 • E-ISSN: 2321-7472
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/23210230231166184
OpenAlexW4380883884
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas37

Both Narendra Modi and Rodrigo Duterte stand out as leaders that epitomise their respective reigns in ways that previous leaders did not. A juxtaposition of their political personae allows us to investigate a contemporary political phenomenon, that of the elected strongman leader. This article makes three points from this juxtaposition: (a) They presided over a period of ‘democratic backsliding’. (b) They came with social media. (c) They are their own message and that message is that they are extraordinary leaders, above ordinary constraints. This article concludes that they represent strongman politics—where they as their people’s representative engage in acts symbolic of the people’s sovereignty. In an age of discontent with democracy, new and social media have allowed them to portray themselves as true defenders of ‘the people

Democracy · Epistemology · Media studies · Phenomenon · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Social media · Sociology · Sovereignty · Law · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · South Asian Cinema and Culture