Populism and emotions

Emmy Eklundh

Chapter 26 in Research Handbook on Populism, 2024, pp 314-324 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Many political commentators and researchers argue that populists are more emotional than other political actors. They are said to make use of emotions, affective language and passionate arguments in order to attract voters. This chapter presents an overview of existing research on the role of emotions and affect in populist politics. It begins with a review of how populists are considered ‘too emotional’ to be taken seriously. In opposition to this, the chapter aligns itself with an increasing body of work which considers emotions and affect to be central to any political project, making the populist modus operandi the norm rather than the exception. In particular, the chapter highlights how claims regarding the emotional nature of populists are often used to discredit newcomers to politics, and thus have a distinctly performative and political character.

Keywords: Politics and Public Policy Research Methods; Sociology and Social Policy; Sustainable Development Goals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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