Discourse Theory in Populist Politics

Discourse theory offers a framework for understanding how populist movements construct political reality through language, symbols and practices. At its core is the idea that “the people” and “the elite” are discursively produced as opposing poles, bound together by an antagonistic frontier that defines membership and exclusion. Building on post-structuralist insights, scholars have shown how empty signifiers such as “the people” or “sovereignty” gain meaning only through chains of equivalence that link diverse demands and identities. Hegemonic projects emerge when a particular articulation of these signifiers prevails, shaping collective imaginaries and policy agendas. Through case studies ranging from European right-wing parties to social movements in the Global South, discourse-theoretical research has highlighted the performative dimension of populism, the interplay of affect and rational argument, and the ways in which leaders sustain authority by framing crises, mobilising grievances and managing rival claims. The global spread of digital media has intensified these dynamics, enabling rapid amplification of populist messages and the fragmentation of public spheres. Practical applications of discourse analysis now inform strategies for democratic resilience, offering tools to expose exclusionary frames, foster inclusive narratives and anticipate shifts in political alignments.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A foundational study examined the discourse of a major European populist party through the lens of Essex School theory. By tracing the evolution of its core slogans and pamphlets, the research identified how antagonistic representations of immigration and constitutional elites were gradually woven into a broader equivalential chain that incorporated social-welfare claims and regional identities. The analysis revealed a formal distinction between reductionist discourses, which constrict “the people” to cultural or ethnic particularities, and more expansive populist logics that maintain the emptiness of the nodal signifier. This work demonstrated how shifts in the balance between these modes can alter a party’s capacity for coalition-building and its appeal to latent minority groups, underscoring the importance of discursive flexibility in sustaining long-term political resonance.

Discourse Theory in Populist Politics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in discourse theory in populist politics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Discourse theory: A framework for analysing how language, symbols and practices produce political meanings and social identities.

Empty signifier: A term intentionally kept semantically open—such as “the people”—that can accommodate diverse demands and forge collective unity.

Equivalential chain: The process by which multiple demands or identities are linked under a shared signifier to create a sense of common purpose.

Nodal point: A privileged signifier around which a discourse coalesces, organising the relations between other elements.

Hegemony: The dominance of one articulation of social meanings over alternatives, achieved through both coercion and consent.

Antagonism: The discursive framing of an irreducible conflict between opposing camps, such as “the people” versus “the elite.”

References

1. The populism of the Alternative for Germany (AfD): an extended Essex School perspective. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2017).
2. Conceptualising the emancipatory potential of populism: A typology and analysis. Political Geography (2023).
3. Organising populism: From symbolic power to symbolic violence. Human Relations (2022).
4. Propositions on right-wing populism: Available, excessive, optimistic. Political Geography (2022).