ABSTRACT
The ideational approach has emerged as one of the most popular cross-regional approaches to the study of populism. The ideational approach gives center stage to the role of ideas in defining and explaining populism; indeed, it is strongly inspired by the work of Ernesto Laclau. The chapter argues that the ideational approach is becoming an approach in the broadest sense of the word, that of a scientific research program combining concepts, theories and method. It is a productive program that studies populism at multiple levels of analysis. After providing a brief history of its origins, the chapter explores the ideational theory that synthesizes current arguments into a larger causal framework and outlines some of the methodological features of this program. It compares the ideational approach to the Essex school and the strategic approach. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the approach's strengths and weaknesses, giving particular attention to the lessons it must still learn from other approaches.
