Populist parties and actors have been successful agents of discontent in Europe and the US. They have changed the political landscape across the continent, profoundly engendering party system change, accelerating political polarization, reshaping parliaments, and even entering several national governments. Viewing populism as both a symptom of multi-faceted legitimacy crises in Western liberal democracies and as an independent factor fostering such crises, the seminar analyzes significant parties and country cases in their contexts. In addition, the course draws systematic comparisons and examines various explanations for the rise and electoral success of populist parties. The seminar hereby familiarizes students with cutting-edge research and engages with innovative approaches to the study of populist politics in contemporary Europe and America. This includes a broadened inter-disciplinary perspective in response to a recent “cultural turn” in populism research. In so doing, the course also explores the role of changing political cultures and “culture wars” in the horizon of a restructured public sphere reshaped by social media and misinformation. Moreover, special attention is paid to the impact of populist parties in the policy-making process and as agents in government and parliament.