ABSTRACT
Although there is growing concern about the rise of populist forces, the notion of populism is highly contested in the realm of the social sciences. In this contribution, I propose that the best way to deal with this problem lies in the development of a minimal definition of populism. Moreover, two minimal conceptualisations are discussed: one centred on ideational elements (Mudde) and another one focused on organisational features (Weyland). After discussing these two approaches, I argue that a minimal definition centred on ideational elements is the best way ahead, and some ideas for the future research agenda on populism are advanced.
