The Many Faces of Populism: Diverse but not Disparate

Abstract

This chapter argues that despite the proverbial claim that populism is ill-defined and has too broad a conceptual net, the literature on the subject tends to converge toward four core elements of populism that provides a conceptual and analytical unity. Furthermore, the conceptual core of populism explains why the concept has been able to encompass a wide range of populist manifestations without becoming an empty analytical shell. Also, the conceptual cores have helped provide the empirical basis that has given rise to a diverse and innovative literature that seeks to measure and compare cross-nationally populism.

Citation

Woods, D. (2014), "The Many Faces of Populism: Diverse but not Disparate", The Many Faces of Populism: Current Perspectives (Research in Political Sociology, Vol. 22), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0895-993520140000022001