Social Media as a Political Instrument: How Politicians in Four Countries Use Facebook and Twitter for Populist Purposes

• In Event: Populism, Voters, and the Media

Abstract

Populism is a relevant but contested concept in political communication research. It has been well-researched in the mass media and political manifestos. The present study focuses on another important part of the hybrid media system and explores how politicians in four countries (AT, CH, IT, UK) use Facebook and Twitter for populist purposes. Five key elements of populism are derived from the literature: sovereignty of the people, advocacy for the people, attacking the elite, exclusion of others, and reference to the “heartland”. A qualitative content analysis reveals that populism is a rare and fragmented phenomenon in social media. Populist statements can be found across countries, parties, and status levels but the “exclusion of others” is mainly propagated by right-wing politicians. References to the “heartland” remain scarce but the concept proves worth of further investigation. Overall, the paper provides an in-depth analysis of populism in social media. It contributes to a refined conceptualization and operationalization of populism in future studies.

Authors

• Sven Engesser, U of Zurich

• Nicole Ernst, University of Zurich

• Frank Esser, U of Zurich

• Florin Buechel, U of Zurich