Mainstream Filipino politicians use calculated-mediated strategies to appeal to many segments of the public. Only a few of them however are capable of developing durable identities, redemptive or otherwise, that can command enduring sectoral support. The multifaceted case of Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine president from 2016-2022 and father of incumbent vice president who is a major contender for the 2028 presidency, remains central to the making of democratic polity in an age of communicative abundance.

This talk will look at the contentious episodes of mediated populism understood as critical moments where the expressions of performative populist politics in the media are deliberated by political actors like politicians, journalists, and members of the legal community through existing and innovative measures. Looking at diverse cases of press freedom, religion, and the law, the hope is to highlight the actors, claims, and mechanisms that make populism a defining feature of mediated politics. The episodes of contentious politics matter to contemporary Southeast Asia and to the dynamics of emerging and developing democracies.

Jefferson Ragragio is an assistant professor of media studies at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the 2024-2025 Gosling Lim Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at cseas@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.