The Populist Challenge in Foreign Affairs: Which Communications Strategies Are Successful?

Populist parties and politicians are a polarising force. They position themselves as the sole representatives of the will of the people vis-à-vis the supposed elites of state and society, and vis-à-vis “foreign powers.” From America to Asia, they are experiencing particular success at doing so within a changing media landscape. Whether Twitter or WhatsApp, provocative symbolic politics or defamation campaigns, established actors are facing a multitude of challenges that can scarcely be matched with the traditional communications arsenal.

Which strategies have proven successful, and which mistakes should be avoided? GIGA researchers will analyse what characterises populist foreign policy and communication, and discuss how the media and diplomats can respond with experts from the Foreign Office and DIE ZEIT.

Speakers:

• Dr. Johannes Plagemann, Research Fellow, GIGA Institute for Asian Studies

• Dr. Saskia Ruth-Lovell, Research Fellow, GIGA Institute for Latin American Studies

Discussants:

• Andreas Kindl, Director of Strategic Communications, Federal Foreign Office

• Moritz Müller-Wirth, Acting Editor-in-Chief, DIE ZEIT

Moderation:

• Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen, Lead Research Fellow, GIGA