Gaitanism and Populism. Historiographic Backgrounds and Possible Contributions from the Theory of Hegemony

This paper proposes establishing a critical dialogue between the most recent theoretical developments on populism and some of the most notable historiographical studies on the political process of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in the mid-20th-century. The study is based on a conceptual framework of populism, which is understood as a process involving the creation of identities and political solidarities. The current paper looks to investigate the relevance of a complementary reading of the gaitanist process. It is within the dialogue between historiography and political theory that this paper suggests rethinking the relationship between the populist phenomenon, democracy, and violence in Colombia.