Understanding Nativist Populism

This chapter discusses the main contribution of this study, which is in separating nativist populism from other kinds within the populist family. The convergence of nativism and populism has turned into a separate Neo-Nationalism spreading across Europe and America. In mapping their historical evolution through three waves and identifying common qualities, the book provides context for studying the rise of nativist populists. This chapter lays out how Neo-Nationalism of contemporary nativist populists should be understood. It identifies a winning formula of nativist populists, the dual process of instating fear and scapegoating. The chapter discusses discursive manipulations and structural inequities in the rhetoric of contemporary nativist populists. The surge of populist politics examined in this book has brought back the importance of dialectic observation, examining populism as countering mainstream politics. Another contribution here is in identifying a threefold claim which nativist populists put forth in their support of the people.