Populist Political Communication

Abstract

The academic debate on populism has been flourishing following recent political developments in Europe and the United States. This should not surprise, as populist parties on the left and right of the political spectrum have enjoyed a series of electoral successes. Though traditionally conceived as a ‘thin’ ideology, populism is increasingly studied as a communication style, which brings the study of populism to the centre of political communication research. This panel welcomes papers that investigate patterns and effects of populist communication by political actors and media. This includes, but is not limited to: studies analysing populist communication styles, studies tackling the extent to which populist communication affects the public’s attitudes and (electoral) preferences, and the extent to which media propagate populist rhetoric.