The Sovereign Trickster

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Framing Rodrigo Duterte as a trickster figure, Vicente L. Rafael explores his multifaceted rule in the Philippines, highlighting themes of humor, terror, and masculinity. The book examines the implications of Duterte's drug war, policing, and extrajudicial killings within the contexts of counterinsurgency and neoliberalism. Rafael analyzes how Duterte employs rhetoric and obscenity to instill fear and maintain control, while also addressing the social conditions that sustain his regime. Through this lens, the author critiques the authoritarian tendencies shaping contemporary Philippine society.