This book examines the projection of soft and sharp powers through the Turkish civilizational populist TV series "Resurrection: Ertugrul" and its reception in Pakistan. By analyzing the content of the series, elite responses, interviews with ordinary Pakistanis, and Pakistani cyberspace, the book argues that beyond soft power, the show exerts Turkey's sharp power transnationally, through themes of authoritarianism, violence, warfare, desire for killing and dying, Islamist collective victimhood, conspiracy theories and anti-Christian sentiments. The book contributes to the literatures on...

Based on semi-structured interviews with ordinary citizens in Pakistan, this book analyses the complex relationship between populism, political identity, and historical experiences in Pakistan, highlighting how populist discourse influences and is influenced by varied interpretations of Pakistaniat - the identification with Pakistan. It introduces a novel theoretical framework for analysing populism in the public sphere, using Laclau's view of populism as a discursive logic and Panizza's definition as a mode of identification. This connection allows for a deeper...