المجلة الجزائرية للأمن والتنمية
Volume 15, Numéro 2, Pages 415-430
2026-07-01

The Socio-political Dimensions Of Populism

Authors : Laib Mohamed Rafik .

Abstract

Populism is a complex social and political phenomenon that extends beyond a mere electoral strategy or temporary discourse, it emerges from crises of representation, institutional trust, and socio-political transformations in contemporary societies, this study examines the concept of populism, its theoretical approaches, social and political roots, populist discourse, mobilization mechanisms, and its impacts on democratic institutions and society, the research highlights that populism can simultaneously enhance political participation and expose marginalized groups while also deepening social and political polarization and challenging democratic stability, understanding populism is crucial for evaluating its effects on democracy and guiding strategies to balance popular engagement with institutional stability.

Keywords

Populism, Political discourse, Social polarization, Representative democracy, Social media.