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Populism som idé

Fridlund, Patrik LU orcid (2025) In Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift 127(1). p.127-148
Abstract
In this article, populism is approached as a political alternative that has to be taken seriously. This implies going beyond socio-economic or cultural explanations for populism’s growing popularity. The aim is to understand the reasoning in populist thought, the populist idea. Starting from a simple definition of populism, I then relate to populism as a ‘thin ideology’ or as a ‘political style’. While interesting, such approaches tend to overlook the fact that populism may be about the very framework for politics – for how a society should be governed – rather than about political style or content. Understanding populism in this way helps understanding how parts of populist thought can be integrated in programmes of parties and movements... (More)
In this article, populism is approached as a political alternative that has to be taken seriously. This implies going beyond socio-economic or cultural explanations for populism’s growing popularity. The aim is to understand the reasoning in populist thought, the populist idea. Starting from a simple definition of populism, I then relate to populism as a ‘thin ideology’ or as a ‘political style’. While interesting, such approaches tend to overlook the fact that populism may be about the very framework for politics – for how a society should be governed – rather than about political style or content. Understanding populism in this way helps understanding how parts of populist thought can be integrated in programmes of parties and movements that are otherwise typically not perceived as populist. The article ends with a discussion concerning important watershed moments between populism and what is often labelled ‘liberal democracy’. Some tentative conclusions are drawn for understanding today’s situation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
populism, Anders Nygren, motivforskning, populism som idé, svensk politik
in
Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift
volume
127
issue
1
pages
22 pages
publisher
Fahlbeckska stiftelsen
ISSN
0039-0747
project
At the End of the World: A Transdisciplinary Approach to the Apocalyptic Imaginary in the Past and Present
Beyond Truth and Lies: Conspiracy Theories, Post-Truth, and the Conditions of Public Debate
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
8f03cb1c-3569-44e0-a915-cdaa316f83be
alternative location
https://journals.lub.lu.se/st/article/view/27914
date added to LUP
2025-04-30 17:19:15
date last changed
2025-05-19 11:06:08
@article{8f03cb1c-3569-44e0-a915-cdaa316f83be,
  abstract     = {{In this article, populism is approached as a political alternative that has to be taken seriously. This implies going beyond socio-economic or cultural explanations for populism’s growing popularity. The aim is to understand the reasoning in populist thought, the populist idea. Starting from a simple definition of populism, I then relate to populism as a ‘thin ideology’ or as a ‘political style’. While interesting, such approaches tend to overlook the fact that populism may be about the very framework for politics – for how a society should be governed – rather than about political style or content. Understanding populism in this way helps understanding how parts of populist thought can be integrated in programmes of parties and movements that are otherwise typically not perceived as populist. The article ends with a discussion concerning important watershed moments between populism and what is often labelled ‘liberal democracy’. Some tentative conclusions are drawn for understanding today’s situation.}},
  author       = {{Fridlund, Patrik}},
  issn         = {{0039-0747}},
  keywords     = {{populism; Anders Nygren; motivforskning; populism som idé; svensk politik}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{127--148}},
  publisher    = {{Fahlbeckska stiftelsen}},
  series       = {{Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift}},
  title        = {{Populism som idé}},
  url          = {{https://journals.lub.lu.se/st/article/view/27914}},
  volume       = {{127}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}