The Emotional Life of Populism: How Fear, Disgust, Resentment, and Love Undermine Democracy

To make sense of this enigma, the sociologist Eva Illouz argues that we must understand the crucial role that emotions play in our political life. Taking the case of Israel as her prime example, she shows that populist politics rest on four key emotions: fear, disgust, resentment, and love for one's country. It is the combination of these four emotions and their relentless presence in the political arena that nourishes and underpins the rise and persistence of populism both in Israel and in many other countries around the world.

This highly original perspective on the rise of populism will be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand the key political developments of our time.