THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF POPULISM AS A THIN-CENTERED IDEOLOGY: CONCEPT, LITERATURE, AND A CRITICAL EVALUATION
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https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18147591Keywords:
populism, ideology, Thin-centered ideologyAbstract
This study focuses on the conceptualization of the “thin-centered ideology”, as categorized within Michael Freeden’s morphological approach to ideology. The primary goal of this work is to examine perspectives that, drawing inspiration from Freeden’s analysis, evaluate populism as a “thin ideology”. Furthermore, the study analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the “thin ideology” conceptualization within the literature by investigating how populism’s conceptual flexibility is reflected in research that treats populism as an ideology. In this context, the study seeks to develop a conceptual framework that elucidates the dimensions of populism as a thin ideology. The method of the study is critical literature analysis. The main findings of the study are as follows: In Freeden’s approach, populism cannot be defined as a standalone ideology, either conceptually or empirically. The relationship between populism and ideology emerges through populism’s articulation as a thin-centered ideology within various ideological frameworks. Studies that treat populism as a thin ideology generally emphasize its flexible structure, which allows it to be integrated into traditional ideologies such as conservatism and liberalism. The application of Freeden’s thin-centered ideology approach to populism has introduced a novel theoretical analysis method to the literature. However, this approach has faced criticism for reasons such as subjectivity and insufficient consideration of populism’s context-specific diversity. Furthermore, Freeden’s recent observation that populism may be too weak to be classified as a thin ideology has sparked a new debate in the literature. The study provides a critical evaluation of populism as a thin ideology, from its conceptualization to its treatment within the literature.
Keywords: Populism, Ideology, Thin-centered ideology, Michael Freeden
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