In a recent episode of Voices on Global Populism, Professor Nitasha Kaul, Chair of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, shared compelling insights into the global rise of right-wing nationalism, its intersections with neoliberalism, gender politics, and the erosion of democratic norms.
We were happy to host, Professor Kaul, who is the Chair Professor of Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) at the University of Westminster. She has authored over 150 publications on various interconnected themes. Her works encompass democracy, political economy, Hindutva/Indian politics, misogyny, technology, global right-wing nationalism, and geopolitics.
You can read more about her work and books, along with links to her publications and see her website.
Her work also integrates multiple frameworks, such as feminist and postcolonial theory, while applying a critical lens to examine democracy and right-wing nationalist movements. She engages critically with systems of knowledge, memory, identity, and political expression, exploring how these travel across space and time and their connections to oppression and resistance.
She has a broad research agenda, in her work regarding Bhutan, she highlights how smaller states can act as norm entrepreneurs. She comparatively studies stateless nations, including the Kurds and Kashmiris. She has done extensive work on repression in Kashmir and, in her interviews, has called for the representation of the voices of Kashmiris. She has written numerous articles on the state of democracy in India and how Islamophobia can be gendered.
In this episode, we aim to get her perspective regarding the global rise of populism. We will explore three key areas: understanding right-wing nationalism, insights from the Indian case, and the role of gender in right wing politics.
Challenging the “Populism” Narrative
At the outset, Professor Kaul critiques the common use of the term “populism” to describe contemporary right-wing movements, suggesting that it obscures the mechanisms these regimes use to consolidate power. She argues that “populism” misleadingly implies widespread popular support, when in fact such regimes can rely on repression and manipulation of public discourse to maintain their grip. Instead, Kaul prefers the term “right-wing nationalism,” which better captures the ideological and operational strategies at play.
“Calling them populist suggests they are popular in the true sense,” Kaul explained, but she highlights the true nature of their power comes from the suppression of opposition and control over narratives. She highlighted that these regimes, such as India under Narendra Modi or Turkey under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, go beyond electoral victory to reshape political landscapes, often ensuring the playing field remains tilted in their favor.
Neoliberalism and Nationalism: A Symbiotic Relationship
One of the most interesting part of the discussion revolved around the relationship between neoliberalism and right-wing nationalism. Contrary to traditional assumptions that these forces are at odds, with nationalism favoring state control and neoliberalism favoring market dominance, Kaul argued that they are deeply intertwined in what she terms “postcolonial neoliberal nationalism.”
Gender, Misogyny, and Authoritarianism
Professor Kaul also shed light on how misogyny functions as a core strategy within these nationalist-authoritarian projects. Through her concept of ELMA—Electorally Legitimated Misogynist Authoritarian projects—she explores how gendered narratives bolster authoritarian regimes. Misogyny, in this context, isn’t limited to individual attitudes but operates structurally, with feminization being used as a tool for devaluation.
“In these regimes, even female leaders can internalise misogynistic ideologies,” Kaul points out, explaining that misogyny helps solidify supporter identities and legitimise power. She differentiated between the “predatory” misogyny seen in leaders like Jair Bolsonaro or Rodrigo Duterte, and the “protective” misogyny of figures like Erdoğan or Modi, who promote traditional gender roles under the guise of safeguarding women.
Kaul also demonstrates how misogyny intersects with other authoritarian tactics, such as climate change denial and attacks on public care systems, reinforcing a militarized, masculinist image of leadership that dismisses values associated with care as weak or unnecessary.
Communication Strategies and International Parallels
The podcast highlights how right-wing nationalist movements deploy tailored communication strategies to different audiences. Professor Kaul notes the striking contrasts in how nationalist governments present themselves domestically versus internationally. For example, the Indian government promotes Gandhi abroad while tacitly endorsing figures who celebrate his assassin at home—a duality that exemplifies the strategic narrative control these regimes maintain.
Similar patterns are observable in Turkey and other nations, where nationalist rhetoric is adapted to fit local and global expectations, presenting a more moderate face to international audiences while fueling majoritarian fervor domestically.
A Call for Global Awareness
Professor Kaul concluded the discussion by emphasizing the need for a global perspective on right-wing nationalism as these are not isolated national phenomena. She argued that as there are global trends and networks at work here, and we must understand them transnationally.
As authoritarian nationalist projects continue to reshape democracies worldwide, Kaul’s work offers a reminder of the complex intersections between neoliberalism, nationalism, gender, and power. See the full podcast below.