Courtney Blackington
Courtney Blackington and Frances Cayton argue that populist politicians tend to dog-whistle conspiracy theories when speaking to general audiences, but explicitly endorse them when speaking to supporters. Thus, politicians strategically invoke conspiracy theories to avoid blowback, while still managing to rally their core supporter base Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Gypsy folk-pop – manele – played a key role in Romania’s 2024 presidential elections. In Roma tradition, manele expresses celebration and resilience. But Mimi Mihăilescu argues that for decades, Romania's politicians have exploited this musical genre for their own ends. Read more
Camil Ungureanu
Camil Ungureanu and Delia Dumitrica examine the phenomenon of Diana Șoșoacă, Romania's far-right strongwoman leader and TikTok sensation. While the populist right tends to champion traditional gender roles, Șoșoacă is crafting fresh gender narratives that resonate with female voters, Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
In an unexpected twist to Romania’s 2024 presidential election, Călin Georgescu, virtually unknown a year ago, has emerged as a serious contender. Georgescu's ascent has been marked by antisemitic rhetoric, anti-Western discourse, and a sophisticated disinformation strategy. This, argues Mimi Mihăilescu, reveals the vulnerabilities of modern politics to social media manipulation. Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Online memes have evolved from satirical messages to powerful ideological tools. Recently, the far-right 'Dark MAGA' movement has harnessed memes for political messaging and identity-building. Mimi Mihăilescu describes how Elon Musk has emerged as an anti-establishment symbol: revered, weaponised, and transformed within these radicalised online communities. Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Far-right Romanian presidential candidate George Simion is not just running a campaign, he’s waging a meme war. In today’s digital age, argues Mimi Mihăilescu, the way politicians communicate with the public has fundamentally shifted – and internet memes are emerging as powerful weapons for shaping public perception and discourse. Read more
Olga Vlasova
In Russia, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get a reliable connection to YouTube, as the Kremlin seeks to limit access to global content. Newer platforms like the Russian Rutube offer only limited content, leaving users feeling disconnected. But is this strategy truly beneficial for the Kremlin? Olga Vlasova considers whether it might have deeper political motives. Read more
Jacob Wentz
Jacob Wentz analyses populist rhetoric and communication strategies in the election campaigns of Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni. Both leaders adopt similar approaches, criticising traditional media, personalising politics, and using language that marginalises immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. We should not, he argues, underestimate the power of their rhetoric. Read more
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