Populism and Its Definitions: Interpretations and Perspectives of a Multifaceted Political Model

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter deals with some of the many definitions of populism, starting with the first event in which a community of researchers came together for this purpose: the 1967 London Conference ‘To Define Populism’. The text follows the evolution of the central themes to the present day and explores, in particular, the tools produced by populism studies that help to understand two contemporary challenges: first, the emergence of new forms of populism fragmented into antagonistic groups during the SarsCoV2 Pandemic, but linked to broader authoritarian visions, and second, the new reflection on the principle of nationality and international solidarity that arose after the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Both are challenges to the principles, intelligence and strength of democracies.This text focuses on two aspects in particular: first, the logic with which to construct definitions, so as to avoid errors of setting (unclear and ill-defined choice of subject to be studied), elaboration (conceptual stretching) and evaluation (researcher bias), and second, the understanding of the different identities with which the ‘people’ presents itself and acts historically: populace, mob, civil society and revolutionary people; they cannot be confused within the same ‘populism’.KeywordsAnti-intellectualismAuthorityCivil societyConceptual stretchingConstitutional languageCooperationConspiracy maniaFactual truthsFamily resemblancesFarmer allianceFraternityIdeologyLeft-wing partiesMinimal definitionModNationNativismParanoid stylePeople’s PartyPopulacePopular willProgressivismRepresentationRetrogressive FrameworkProgressive framework right-wing partiesResentmentSolidarityTaxonomyTypology