The term “populist” is increasingly applied to political leaders at home and abroad. Dr. Charles Hankla will discuss different understandings of the term and how they fit, or don’t, with traditional understanding of right and left wing politics. He will also address the origins of populism and how the same term has been applied to political leaders as diverse as India’s Modi, US President Donald Trump, Mexico’s Lopez-Obrador, and Israel’s Netanyahu. Finally, he will look at where all of these political changes are leading. Throughout, he welcomes your input and questions. Charles R. Hankla is Associate Professor of Political Science at GSU in Atlanta. He is also Director of Governance Programs at the Andrew Young School’s International Center for Public Policy, and Director of the M.A. Program in Political Science. Charles’s research is in the fields of comparative and international political economy. His research has included cross-national, quantitative studies and also field-based analyses of India, France, and Mozambique. He is an active consultant, and a regular commentator on the politics of international economic affairs.