Unpacking Group Appeals: The Central Role of Group Construction

Political parties’ group appeals play a crucial role in shaping inter-group relations within society. To better understand this dynamic, scholars are increasingly moving beyond the traditional view of group appeals—and political communication more broadly—as mere vote-maximization strategies. Instead, these appeals are being reconceptualized as representative claims that ascribe specific meanings to group categories (Dolinsky & Huber, 2023). This shift in perspective emphasizes not just the identification of group categories used in political discourse but also the meanings attributed to them. Building on this approach, this paper argues that the way parties construct groups—an often-overlooked aspect of existing research—is central to the appeal’s effectiveness and broader societal consequences. Specifically, it is the resonance of these constructions with their intended audiences that significantly influences its impact. Through a qualitative analysis of Belgian party leaders' online communication, we examine how they construct the category of "migrants", a historically significant and contentious group, and explore how these constructions impact the effectiveness of the appeals. Our findings highlight that even when parties appeal to the same group, their constructions often differ significantly. This underscores the critical importance of meaning in understanding group appeals. By analysing these differences, the paper sheds light on how political communication may impact inter-group relations in more implicit ways, contributing to broader discussions on populism and polarization.