Thursday seminar: BIFD Théo Aiolfi

The Art of the Breach: Populism, Transgression and Performances the People

by Théo Aiolfi

In an era marked by a widespread distrust towards parties and established political figures, where neoliberalism’s hegemony has prevented the rise of radical challenges to the status quo, claiming the mantle of the struggle of the people against the elite has never been more appealing for political actors. In this talk that is grounded in critical populism studies and performance studies, I will introduce the notion of populism as both style and aesthetics, a repertoire of symbolic practices that constructs the people through its embodiment in the performances of the political leader.

At the core of populism lies what I will describe in this talk as the “art of the breach”: the deliberate transgression of political and social norms. Breaking norms – whether it is in the way one talks, acts or shares ideas – is a powerful way to challenge the status quo, stand out from other politicians and create a memorable persona. However, being transgressive does not necessarily mean being subversive, and transgression is a high-wire act for politicians who choose to embrace it. Pushed too far, it can alienate mainstream voters and invite backlash; reined in too much, it risks looking exactly like the establishment politics it claims to reject. This talk will invite its audience to consider the central role of transgression in our current political scene, and the question it raises about representative democracy.

Bio

Théo Aiolfi is a junior professor at the Université Bourgogne Europe, as part of the Centre Interlangues Texte, Image, Langage (TIL). His interdisciplinary research is located at the intersection of political science, communication and performance studies. His research interests include populism, performativity, style and politics as performance, with a focus on far-right politics and political leadership.
He is one of the convenors of the Populism Specialist Group, one of the largest groups within the Political Studies Association in the United Kingdom and a major platform for critical studies on populism. He is also a member of several international research networks, including the Reactionary Politics Network, [Democracy, Signification and Resistance (DESIRE)], the Warwick Performance and Politics Network and the International Populism Research Network.