Popularization of Politics

The popularization of politics refers to many processes, rather than one, but in essence it highlights the way in which politics is invested with the styles and platforms of popular culture. It can be seen as a product of neoliberalism and the mediatization of politics, although it also predates both. Political movements have traditionally sought to present themselves as “popular” in both cultural and political terms for many centuries. The popularization of politics can also be associated with the rise of so-called “celebrity politics”. This article suggests that the idea best be understood against the background of the “unpopularity of politics” and the “mediatization of politics,” and as differentiated by genres of “popularization.”