The EU referendum and the election of President Trump in 2016 were the first manifestations in the Anglo-Saxon world of the wave of populism which has been increasingly evident in Europe. Populism represents a challenge to the established values and processes of liberal democracy. We will consider questions such as: what is populism? What are its origins, causes and drivers? To whom do populist approaches appeal? What is its challenge to transnational rules-based orders and its relationship to liberal democracy and nationalism? Does it constitute a threat to or a widening of democracy? The course will appeal to those interested in the current political scene. Although a stand-alone course, it dovetails with the now defunct 'Comparative Politics in Britain and America'. There will be much scope for lively discussion and debate. The ten-week course will run twice - in both the Autumn and Spring terms.