The Localist Turn in Populism Studies

Abstract

While the study of populism has typically focused on the national level, recent years have seen a growing body of research on populism’s local dimensions. Despite making important scholarly advances, this ‘localist turn’ has yet to develop a systematic account of how populism intersects with localism. In this research note, we broach this gap. By exploring how right- and left-wing populisms conceptualize the ‘local’, as well as how localist sentiments can heighten or diminish the appeal of right and left populist politics, we establish a general framework to guide future inquiry into local manifestations of populist politics.