The Power of Emotions: Autocratic-Populist Narratives and Institutional Deterioration

The study of emotions in political leadership, especially among leaders with autocratic tendencies and populist traits, has become increasingly important as the impact of their discourses on democratic norms, practices, and institutions draws global concern. While there is growing literature discussing the rise of authoritarian figures who combine populist strategies with autocratic attitudes, systematic research examining the ways in which leaders employ specific emotional repertoires to erode trust in institutions, polarize citizens, and weaken democratic checks and balances is still scarce. Despite mounting evidence that emotional narratives not only express worldviews but also serve as instruments of power to reshape political interpretive frameworks and amplify dynamics of democratic erosion, critical questions remain about the precise mechanisms and effects involved.

This Research Topic aims to analyze the role emotions play in the speeches of leaders—often populist—with autocratic tendencies and their impact on the deterioration of democratic norms, practices, and institutions. Through this focus, the research seeks to illuminate how emotions such as resentment, fear, or national pride are mobilized to craft crisis narratives, identify enemies, legitimize the concentration of power in “savior” leaders, foster the dissemination of emotionally charged narratives via media and social networks, and ultimately reshape public perceptions, tolerance for illiberal practices, and acceptance of measures restricting rights and accountability.

Within this framework, the scope of the Research Topic covers three analytical axes. First, the emotional construction of autocratic-populist discourses, examining how crisis narratives and the legitimation of power rely on specific emotions. Second, the mechanisms of dissemination and amplification of these emotional narratives, focusing on the media, social networks, and misinformation ecosystems that entrench critical emotions toward institutions and traditional politics. Third, the resonance and democratic effects of such discourses, analyzing their influence on legitimacy perceptions, social tolerance for illiberal practices, affective polarization, and the normalization of restrictions on rights, pluralism, and accountability.

To gather further insights, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o The emotional construction of autocratic-populist discourses
o Media, social networks, and amplification of emotional narratives
o Mechanisms embedding critical emotions toward institutions and politics
o Democratic effects of emotional narratives, including polarization and legitimacy perceptions
o Processes normalizing restrictions on rights, pluralism, and accountability
o Points of resistance, resilience, and democratic intervention

Appendix: We welcome theoretical, empirical, and methodological articles from political science, political psychology, communication, and sociology.

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
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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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
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• 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: Democratic backsliding, Authoritarianism, Populism, Emotional narratives, Institutions, Political legitimacy, Media, Social Networks

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.