New Media and Populism

This book aims to address both the historical roots and the conceptual structure of populism, to address different aspects of the ongoing deep conceptual debates and to contribute to the literature through original studies. While the classical definition of populism that focuses on the distinction between "the people" and "the elites" continues, its reliance on new media technologies, its relationship with changing modes of political representation and identification, and its increasing ubiquity need to be explained. Therefore, it is necessary to re-discuss populism in the context of the transforming global media. In this new media environment, it is important to abandon the view that populism exists as a direct or unmediated phenomenon between the leader and the people, and to explore and demonstrate the intensely mediated nature of populism. This book aims to present a different perspective on populist discourse and action, thanks to the ubiquity, easy accessibility, increasing speed and scope of communication technologies.