Political analyst Richard Heydarian's latest book ‘The Rise of Duterte’ now available internationally

GMA News' resident political analyst Richard Heydarian's latest book is now available on digital shelves.

"The Rise of Duterte: A Populist Revolt against Elite Democracy" is published by  Palgrave Macmillan. It will be released on hardback in October for $54.99 or around P2800, but already it has excited a number of journalists both here and abroad.

There's GMA's Howie Severino who says, "Heydarian deftly places Duterte in the context of populist waves sweeping much of the world while reminding readers that his rise was also a consequence of his country's disappointments with 'elite democracy'."

University of Washington's Vicente L. Rafael calls the book a 'meticulous unpacking of Duterte Presidency that will no doubt  contribute to deepening our understanding of the man and of the world historical moment of his rise to power." 

At over 130 pages, Heydarian describes it as his shortest book.

Heydarian has been on the beat since 2015 and has pored over the lengthy, often winding speeches of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Since this is a scholarly work, I made the extra effort of making sure my understanding and analysis of Duterte, and his unique rhetorical style, isn’t jeopardized by the ubiquity of sensationalist journalistic coverage, which has dominated popular imagination of the highly controversial Filipino leader.

Understanding the context, background, and intent of his speeches and actions is no easy feat, yet indispensable to a fair and objective assessment of his unique and mind-boggling brand of politics," he explained in a post published on Facebook on Wednesday.

The book promises an insight beyond the shocking statements and dives into the rise of populism elsewhere, providing context to Duterte's own appeal to his followers.

Heydarian explained, "This is why the book looks at the deep history of Philippine-American relations before delving into the Filipino president’s anti-American tirades and strategic flirtation with China and Russia."

The book, he added, is also the "first effort to provide a systematic and coherent analysis of the roots and trajectory of Duterte presidency and, in the words of Filipino Sociologist Randy David, the phenomenon of 'Dutertismo.'"

"It is the first effort to provide an extensive analysis of the Filipino president, his rhetoric and action, and his national and international impact beyond media headlines and ideological debates," he continued.

Heydarian extended his gratitude to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Press Secretary Martin Andanar, and Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta Romana as well as colleagues Dr. Walden Bello, Dr. Jay Batongbacal, and Dr. Vicente Rafael.

Heydarian also gave a nod to resource persons from the media, Marites Vitug and Howie Severino.

Heydarian will be conducting book talks around the world starting next week, beginning at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. — LA, GMA News

The hardback edition of "The Rise of Duterte: A Populist Revolt against Elite Democracy" is available for pre-order on Amazon.