Authoritarian Divide

<p><strong>In the context of the global decline of democracy <em>The Authoritarian Divide</em> analyzes the tactics that populist leaders in Turkey Venezuela and Ecuador have used to polarize their countries.</strong></p><p>Political polarization is traditionally viewed as the result of competing left/right ideologies. In <em>The Authoritarian Divide</em> Orçun Selçuk argues that regardless of ideology polarization is driven by dominant populist leaders who deliberately divide constituents by cultivating a dichotomy of inclusion and exclusion. This practice known as affective leader polarization stymies compromise and undermines the democratic process.</p><p>Drawing on multiple qualitative and quantitative methodologies for support as well as content from propaganda media such as public speeches Muhtar Meetings <em>Aló Presidente</em> and <em>Enlace Ciudadano</em> Selçuk details and analyzes the tactics used by three well-known populist leaders to fuel affective leader polarization: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and Rafael Correa in Ecuador. Selçuk's work provides a rubric for a better understanding of--and potential defense against--the rise in polarizing populism across the globe.</p>