1. How do populism and conspiracy theories intersect? A case study of the populist radical left and right in France during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Author
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Frigoli, Gilles, Ivaldi, Gilles, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA), Unite de recherche migrations et sociétés (URMIS), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR205-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA), Centre de recherches politiques de Sciences Po (CEVIPOF), Sciences Po (Sciences Po)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), International Political Science Association (IPSA), Ivaldi, Gilles, and Centre de recherches politiques de Sciences Po (Sciences Po, CNRS) (CEVIPOF)
- Subjects
Jean-Luc Mélenchon ,radical right ,Rassemblement national ,Marine Le Pen ,conspiracy theory ,Covid-19 ,[SHS.SCIPO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Political science ,populism ,[SHS.SCIPO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Political science ,radical left ,La France Insoumise - Abstract
International audience; It is often assumed that conspiratorial thinking shares important affinities with the Manichean views of populism, and its profound distrust of elites and experts. Such connection between conspiracy theory and populism should be explored further, however, in order to shed light on the different ways in which they may be articulated in populist politics. Based on a qualitative case study of the populist radical left and radical right in France, this paper examines the interplay between conspiracy theory and populism during the Covid-19 crisis. We find that both populist parties have channelled the Covid-19 pandemic into their existing ideological framework to mobilize the anxieties and grievances produced by the crisis. However, we see variation in the interpretation of the health crisis through the lenses of the ‘thin’ ideology of populism. More importantly, we find that populist actors may also vary significantly in their use of conspiracy theories, reflecting different ideological legacies and political strategies.
- Published
- 2021