Publication Title

Contexts

Document Type

Article

Department or Program

Sociology

Publication Date

10-3-2022

Abstract

We have recently witnessed the rise of populist leaders across the world. What makes those leaders so successful? We still do not quite know. This article offers a new perspective. In contemporary societies, the public and private spheres are typically kept distinct and apart. Populist leaders, however, behave in the public sphere as if they were in the private sphere: they say and do things that are normally only said and done in private. This unorthodox approach – especially pronounced among the more authoritarian populists – resonates strongly with those who feel like the public sphere has left them behind.

Comments

Original version is available from the publisher at: https://doi.org/10.1177/15365042221114976

Copyright Note

This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Bates College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.

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