Conceptual Note to Mediated Populism

This entry introduces a number of key developments in mediated populism. It argues that mediated populism should be analyzed as the communicative expression of a constructed opposition between the population and the elite. The entry highlights the importance of recognizable tropes and performative frames but stresses that these alter to exploit changing cultural, political, and technological conditions. The current qualities of mediated populism used to illustrate these processes are righteous indignation, bad behavior, and the tactical use of conspiracy theories.