Populist rhetoric Concepts, uses and contexts

Following up on the electoral success of populist political actors, political communication scholars have focused their efforts on understanding this phenomenon from a communication perspective. This chapter aims to give an overview of the research on populist rhetoric – that is the key populist message pitting the (morally good) people against the (evil immoral) elite. It will elaborate on the most important discussions in the literature, define and conceptualize the phenomenon, lay out where it can be found in communication, and how we can understand the allure of the simplified and dichotomous message from a voter’s perspective. Using the recent COVID-19 pandemic as a case allows us to understand more clearly how populist actors from various political contexts can use populist rhetoric to reframe a socio-political issue and gain traction from the electorate. The chapter ends by arguing that the success of populist rhetoric comes at a risk for social cohesion and democratic norms, which calls for more research into communicative responses to populists that accommodate the interests and needs of their followers while countering its polarizing consequences.