ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to develop a number of research questions on the basis of which a comparative agenda for European democracies might be developed. Multifaceted populism reflects a multidimensional definition of democracy and of its actors, structures, and processes. When addressing questions about the evolution of democracy, including its ‘quality’ and the populist challenge, the choice of the Italian case is far from a random selection. Populism can also be cultural, taking the form of an anti-intellectual rhetoric, with intellectuals displayed as the ‘bad elites’ against whom populists mobilize. At the same time, ‘symbolic analysts’ can transform themselves into populist leaders or play an active role in spreading populist opinions within cultural networks, as well as within both the new and traditional media. Multifaceted populism reflects a multidimensional definition of democracy and of its actors, structures, and processes.
