Populism and Post-Truth (Gebundene Ausgabe) Interdisciplinary Perspectives from South Korea and Germany

When Facts No Longer Count: Populism and Post-Truth in International Comparison

Populism and post-truth politics shape political debate in many democracies. They are changing how political actors speak, how the media set the agenda, and how citizens interpret reality. Terms such as “fake news”, “alternative facts”, and “the people” have long been part of everyday political life. But what exactly lies behind them? How do populism and post-truth differ across various political and cultural contexts? What room for action do democracies have?
This edited volume pursues these questions from an interdisciplinary perspective. The contributions come from political science, history, linguistics, sociology, literary studies, and theology. They examine how populist rhetoric works, what role the media and digital platforms play, and how post-truth patterns of interpretation manifest themselves in politics, culture, and religion.
At the center are current case studies and theoretical reflections. The topics range from the storming of the U.S. Capitol and Donald Trump’s agenda-building on social media, through Brexit narratives and populist interpretations of European sovereignty, to gender conflicts in South Korea’s digital sphere. The volume also addresses the tension-laden relationship between right-wing populism and Christian values.
The volume gains a distinctive profile through its German–Korean comparison. It brings together scholars from both countries and thereby opens a dialogue between two research perspectives that are rarely brought together in academic discourse. It is precisely this comparison that broadens the view beyond familiar Western interpretations and shows how populism and post-truth operate within different democratic orders.
The book is aimed at scholars as well as advanced students of political, social, and cultural studies. It is also of interest to researchers in communication, history, literary, and religious studies, as well as to anyone concerned with the current challenges facing democratic societies.