Is populism ‘emotional’ and mainstream politics ‘rational’? Donatella Bonansinga argues that the divide between rationality and emotionality is rooted in cultural misperceptions, and all politics can be ‘emotional’. Populism is peculiarly emotional, because it taps in to very specific affective states, with key differences between left and right
The idea that human politicians may one day be replaced by machines is no longer science fiction. Focusing on the political aspect of artificial intelligence, Silvija Vuković introduces the phenomenon of chatbot politicians, and discusses their connection to populism
Recent data indicates that countries led by more populist leaders are less likely to have a military with veto power. Hakkı Taş explores the populist centralisation of power that fosters control over the military, and the impact on civilian oversight
A rising number of people believe that when it comes to welfare benefits, a country's native population should have priority access. David Andreas Bell argues that it is people’s perceptions of the economic stability of their country, rather than the reality, which explains such welfare-chauvinistic attitudes – and populist rhetoric plays a big part
Researchers have made significant advances over the past decade in making sense of right-wing populism. However, as this party family continues to win elections, scholars need to pay more attention to the class forces and material interests it represents, writes Vladimir Bortun
Some ideologies look like populisms, but aren’t, writes Dan Paget. Instead, like populisms, these distinctive authoritarian ideologies envisage struggles of 'the people' against 'the corrupt'. Yet unlike them, they envisage 'the leaders' not as embodiments of the people’s will but as guardians of their interests. He calls this 'elitist plebeianism'
Radical-right parties are widely regarded as EU-sceptic and opponents of liberal immigration policies. But does this necessarily extend to free trade? Alexander Dannerhäll studies the trade policies of the right-wing Sweden Democrats. He argues that the answer may be both yes and no, depending on how we define protectionism, and which analytical perspective we adopt
Despite their shared antigenderism, populist radical-right parties’ contestation of gender and sexual equality forms a continuum rather than being homogenous across countries. Susanne Reinhardt, Annett Heft, and Elena Pavan argue that varieties of antigenderism are best understood through a party’s societal context, ideology, and voter expectations
An intricate interplay between populism, gender dynamics, and religion is shaping the Central American political landscape. Erica Guevara, Ignacio Siles, and María Fernanda Salas take a closer look at recent election campaigns in the region, uncovering the role played by these intertwined factors
Tribalism has emerged as a key term in political discussions — often used, but not clearly defined. Ilana Hartikainen and Zea Szebeni propose reconceptualising ‘tribalism’ to differentiate forms of political mobilisation. Tribalism, they argue, forms exclusive groups around shared values — and it’s gone global
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