Organising populism: From symbolic power to symbolic violence

Ron Kerr, Sarah Robinson and Martyna Śliwa
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Ron Kerr: The University of Edinburgh
Sarah Robinson: ESC [Rennes] - ESC Rennes School of Business
Martyna Śliwa: Durham University

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Abstract: This article contributes to developing a management and organisation studies perspective on political organising by focusing on: (a) populism; (b) the exercise of political power; and (c) the organisation of politics. We address two questions: in what ways have English populist politicians in the 20th and 21st centuries utilised language along with other aspects of campaign organising to build and enhance their symbolic power? And: how do populist political organisations convert symbolic power into symbolic violence? Drawing on a range of concepts from Pierre Bourdieu's sociology, most specifically his work on symbolic power, symbolic violence, political ontology and the performativity of language, we conduct a comparative analysis of texts from four waves of right-wing English populism culminating in Brexit. We develop a three-step framework to explain the organisation of right-wing populism via what we term populist political methodology: (1) establishing the symbolic power of the leader and the message; (2) organising power and the division of labour of domination; and (3) reinforcing symbolic violence in targeted sections of society. Understanding how populist politics is organised can support us in resisting, challenging and disrupting right-wing populism, providing lessons for organisations campaigning against racism and xenophobia.

Date: 2022-10-31
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Published in Human Relations, 2022, 77 (1), pp.81-110. ⟨10.1177/00187267221129181⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04323340

DOI: 10.1177/00187267221129181

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