Populism Beyond Borders: Transnational Dynamics and Impacts on Democratic Trust

In the field of contemporary political science, the transnational dimension of populism has emerged as a pivotal area of research, generating robust debate about its potentially transformative effects on democratic governance. While much of the early scholarship focused on populism as a primarily national phenomenon, increasing evidence suggests that populist narratives, organizational models, and strategies are now frequently transmitted across borders, affecting political cultures and institutions on a global scale. This evolution is raising urgent questions about which mechanisms underlie the transmission of populist influence internationally, the factors facilitating or accelerating this exchange, and what these developments mean for the legitimacy and perceived trustworthiness of democratic institutions such as parliaments, courts, media, and electoral commissions. Despite an emerging body of comparative studies and case analyses, scholarly understanding remains limited regarding the complex ways in which transnational populism both shapes and responds to citizens’ trust in democratic governance.

Recent empirical research has revealed that the international spread of populism is often propelled by technological advancements in digital communication, strategic alliances between political actors, and emulation of policy frameworks across different regions. Crises on a global scale—such as migration, economic recession, health emergencies, and armed conflict—frequently serve as catalysts for the rapid expansion of populist rhetoric and organizational networking. These trends have been traced across Europe, the Americas, and the Global South, revealing both commonalities and divergent local impacts. Nevertheless, significant gaps persist in our knowledge of how these externally introduced populist discourses interact with local sociopolitical contexts and how they subsequently affect trust and confidence in core democratic institutions. The unpredictable nature of these interactions underscores the need for a more nuanced and systematic comparative inquiry.

This Research Topic aims to spearhead interdisciplinary, comparative, and methodologically innovative research into the transnational diffusion of populism and its consequences for citizens’ trust in democratic institutions. We seek to understand the multilevel pathways by which populist narratives, discourses, and strategic alliances cross national boundaries and to critically evaluate their short- and long-term repercussions for democratic resilience. Drawing upon insights from political science, sociology, communication studies, law, and related disciplines, this Research Topic aspires to deepen theoretical, empirical, and normative understanding by welcoming diverse methodological approaches—including cross-regional comparisons and mixed methods. Through this effort, we hope to illuminate both the vulnerabilities introduced and the institutional responses required to safeguard democratic trust in the age of globalized populism.

To gather further insights into the transnational boundaries and limitations of populist influence on democratic institutions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Pathways and mechanisms of populist diffusion (such as digital platforms, party alliances, and policy transfer)
• The impact of international crises on the spread of populism
• Comparative analyses of domestic effects stemming from imported populist discourses
• Case studies of transnational populist linkages (e.g., Europe–Latin America, North America–Europe, Global South–Global North)
• Normative and policy implications for strengthening democratic institutions against transnational populist pressures
• Methodological innovations for tracing and measuring the diffusion of populist frames and their effects on political trust

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Transnational populism, democratic trust, political institutions, diffusion mechanisms, cross-national comparison, digital platforms

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.