Orçun Selçuk, an associate professor of political science at Luther College, examined the rise of authoritarian populism and global political polarization Friday at Bolivar House, the home of the Center for Latin American Studies.

The event, which was co-sponsored by the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, the Center for Latin American Studies, the Middle Eastern Studies Forum and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law’s (CDDRL) Program on Turkey, centered around Selçuk’s book: “The Authoritarian Divide: Populism, Propaganda and Polarization.”

“In all three countries [Ecuador, Turkey and Venezuela] populist leaders emerged and cultivated a dichotomy of inclusion and exclusion,” Selçuk wrote in an email to The Daily after the event. “They are polarizing leaders in the sense that there is not much middle ground about them, you either loved or hated them.”

The talk was held less than a year after Venezuela’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado, was invited by CDDRL to speak during her time in hiding following the contested re-election of Nicholas Maduro.

“María Corina’s Nobel Peace Prize is important in terms of resisting an authoritarian regime that is not willing to give up power,” Selçuk added in an email to The Daily. 

Students enrolled in both Latin American and Turkish studies classes attended the event, with a livestream provided for other participants.

“The main takeaway should be not to take democracy for granted in Latin America, but also other countries we live in,” Selçuk said. “Democracy requires consensus building and alternative viewpoints. But what we are seeing around the world is rising intolerance and a sense of moral superiority against the other side… We shouldn’t be afraid of engaging people who have different views from us.”