In the 20th century both Latin America and the Middle East provided vivid examples of populism. Populism was seen as a transitional phase of modernization and a reaction to the social dislocations it caused, which could be expected to disappear as governments and societies ‘matured’. Current events have confounded those expectations. Despite decades of democratic transition, populism has emerged once again, suggesting that its underlying causes are different or more complex than originally thought.

Using a vast array of primary sources, interviews, and critical literature analysis Manochehr Dorraj and Michael Dobson examine populist experiences in the distinct cultural settings of Iran and Venezuela. By understanding populism as a discourse with that of treating it as a particular style of popular mobilization centred on charismatic leadership and themes of social justice they are able to identity four factors to illuminate the populist agenda and its implementation; -