Populist communication logic: political and media populism in print media in Serbia

[K. Milić]

201 str.

Političke nauke - Komunikologija i informatika / Political Science - Communication Science and Informatics

Populizam od početka 21. veka postaje dominantan politički fenomen, i u razvijenim demokratijama i u tranzicionim društvima poput Srbije. Doktorska disertacija analizira populističku komunikaciju političkih aktera u Srbiji sa posebnim naglaskom na ulogu medija u širenju i promovisanju populizma tokom izbornih procesa. Medijski posredovane populističke poruke u postsocijalističkim zemljama često su korišćene kao alat za mobilizaciju masa i legitimizaciju vlasti, posebno tokom izbora. Uprkos tome, akademska istraživanja populizma u Srbiji i njegovih medijskih dimenzija ostala su relativno nedovoljno istražena. Disertacija uvodi i razvija koncept populističke komunikacione logike, koji analizira kako politički akteri koriste populizam u javnoj komunikaciji, kao i ulogu medija u širenju populističkih poruka. U izučavanju populizma koristi se interdisciplinarni pristup koji kombinuje politikološke i medijske studije, kako bi se ispitalo da li mediji i politički akteri zajedno oblikuju populistički diskurs u Srbiji. Istraživanje pokazuje da populistička komunikacija političkih aktera u Srbiji varira u zavisnosti od njihove pozicije u političkom sistemu, kao i faze izbornog procesa. Glavni politički akteri koriste populizam kao alat za legitimisanje svojih akcija i obračun sa političkim protivnicima, naročito u predizbornim periodima. Štampani mediji igraju ključnu ulogu u oblikovanju i širenju populističkih poruka. Tabloidi u odnosu na ozbiljnu štampu ima značajniju ulogu u širenju populizma, posebno tokom predizbornih perioda. Zaključci pokazuju da politički populizam u Srbiji nije samo ideološka stavka, već i strategija komunikacije koja je prilagođena različitim fazama izbornog ciklusa i pozicijama aktera u političkom sistemu. Štampani mediji prepoznaju i pojačavaju populističke tonove, čime dodatno oblikuju politički narativ i utiču na javno mnjenje.

Since the early 21st century, populism has emerged as a dominant political phenomenon, both in established democracies and in transitional societies such as Serbia. This doctoral dissertation critically examines the populist communication strategies employed by political actors in Serbia, with particular emphasis on the role of the media in disseminating and promoting populist ideologies during electoral cycles. Media-mediated populist messages in post-socialist countries have frequently served as tools for mass mobilization and the legitimation of political authority, particularly in the context of electoral campaigns. Despite this, scholarly research on populism in Serbia, especially in relation to its media dimensions, remains relatively underdeveloped. This dissertation introduces and elaborates the concept of populist communication logic, which investigates how political figures utilize populism in their public communication, as well as the role of the media in the diffusion of populist messages. An interdisciplinary approach, integrating political science and media studies, is employed to analyze whether media and political actors jointly construct and reinforce populist discourse in Serbia. The study finds that the populist communication of political actors in Serbia is contingent upon their position within the political system and the specific stage of the electoral process. Key political actors strategically employ populist rhetoric to legitimize their actions and to confront political adversaries, particularly during pre-election periods. Print media play a central role in shaping and amplifying populist narratives. Tabloid media, in comparison to more traditional outlets, play a more pronounced role in propagating populism, particularly during the pre-electoral phase. The findings suggest that political populism in Serbia is not merely an ideological position but also a strategic communicative tool, adapted to various phases of the electoral cycle and the political positioning of the actors. Print media, by recognizing and amplifying populist rhetoric, further contribute to the construction of the political narrative and significantly influence public opinion.

populistička komunikaciona logika, populističko komuniciranje, medijski populizam, politički populizam, populizam, štampani mediji

populist communication logic, populist communication, media populism, political populism, populism, print media

316.774:32(497.11)(043.3) 32.019.5:329.8(497.11)(043.3)

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