Strategies and Tactics of Right-Wing-Populists: Entering Politics Through the Digital Door

Abstract

In western democratic states, parts of the societies came to deeply resent their government and establishment. Fast changes, globalization and a declining trust in the economic future made them look for alternatives. In many countries populists tapped into this vein of indignation by using online-strategies. The affiliation between populism and online communication became more and more apparent within the last couple of years as these strategies were often used in order to guide societal resentments to a specific end – usually to get a specific person or party elected. In this panel, the paper givers want to shed light on how populists sensed a potential, and capitalized on it by communicating in ways that resonated with an audience that feels left behind. The aim of this panel is to understand how populist strategists use the internet in order to achieve their objectives and how this translates into politics. Also of interest is the perspective of the impact: What problems does the new form of communication bring with it? Which challenges arise for the actors within the realm of political communication?