ABSTRACT

This chapter first introduces research on populism, with an emphasis on how it has been used in different contexts. Then the chapter focuses on two scientific research fields that have emerged with the concept of populism at their centre. Later it focuses on research that, with a political philosophical approach, understands populism as an integral and sometimes threatening aspect of democracy and politics and oriented towards parties that are largely defined by their fight against migration. Right-wing populism and right-wing extremism are labels for parties that can be categorised as parties of discontent, racist parties and right-wing extremist parties. The chapter reviews the development of research into populism and the tension that exists between research which tries to understand populism in relation to democracy and politics, and research that sees radical right-wing extremist parties as a form of populist politics. The discussion of populism poses a number of crucial questions about today's Sweden and Europe.