ABSTRACT
In this chapter we present inclusive approach to measuring populism. It uses a traditional method of textual analysis to measure populism on two distinct but related levels – as a thin-centered political ideology and as a political communication style. We present the methodology and findings of the two studies of populism in Croatia in order to demonstrate the utility of this approach. The first study is the benchmark study that analyzed interviews of 11 Croatian politicians (both suspected populists and mainstream politicians) in the period between two local elections, in 2009 and 2013; the second study is the analysis of the populist discourse of the four presidential candidates in 2014/2015 presidential election. Finally, we discuss the utility of this content analysis-based method in a) detecting populism, b) differentiating between true populism and populist communication style and c) detecting different types of populism.
