Yes, I am on sabbatical again and once again I am using it as an opportunity to get out and learn about parts of the world I know of just from books. The focus this time is less global and much more regional.
This time I will be attempting to understand the politics of conservative, nationalist, populist movements. The idea started with a desire to understand Germany's new political party, the AfD (Alternative for Germany). About the same time in France, Marine Le Pen was leading her father's right-wing Front National to the finals of the French Presidential election. I thought it might provide an opportunity to compare and contrast.
Now there are plenty of choices available if you want to study the ferment on the the conservative side of the political spectrum. You really can take your pick. Where do I want to go? Hungary, Italy, Austria... All nice places, but I kept hearing this nagging voice. "You ought to go somewhere really outside your comfort zone. A place you know almost nothing about." It wouldn't stop and it made sense. I decided to listen and go to Alabama and see if I couldn't learn something about my own country. I leave in a few weeks and will spend about a month in a place I have never been, the American south. I chose a small town, Cullman, Alabama, because it was a small town. Thinking that there I might be able to get to know some folks well enough to convince them to share with me how they see politics and the world.
I will let you know how it goes.
This time I will be attempting to understand the politics of conservative, nationalist, populist movements. The idea started with a desire to understand Germany's new political party, the AfD (Alternative for Germany). About the same time in France, Marine Le Pen was leading her father's right-wing Front National to the finals of the French Presidential election. I thought it might provide an opportunity to compare and contrast.
Now there are plenty of choices available if you want to study the ferment on the the conservative side of the political spectrum. You really can take your pick. Where do I want to go? Hungary, Italy, Austria... All nice places, but I kept hearing this nagging voice. "You ought to go somewhere really outside your comfort zone. A place you know almost nothing about." It wouldn't stop and it made sense. I decided to listen and go to Alabama and see if I couldn't learn something about my own country. I leave in a few weeks and will spend about a month in a place I have never been, the American south. I chose a small town, Cullman, Alabama, because it was a small town. Thinking that there I might be able to get to know some folks well enough to convince them to share with me how they see politics and the world.I will let you know how it goes.
