Only Another Adjective, or Finally a New Functional Post-Ideological Subtype? A Conceptual Analysis of Valence Populism

Abstract This paper explores the impact of the increasing focus on subtypes of populism on contemporary discussions within the field of political science. In an effort to provide more precise descriptions of emerging political tendencies, scholars have responded by introducing new and other types of ‘populism with adjectives’. Among these original conceptualisations remains a valance populism that fuses the appeals of populism and technocracy, and strategic positionality on the political spectrum. The paper begins by elucidating the development of valence populism’s conceptualisation and presents an analysis drawing from Sartori’s methodologies for conceptual innovation. Subsequently, the study assesses the qualities of the valence populism concept. The paper finds that, while valence populism stands as a promising and innovative concept with positive intrinsic attributes, it operates in the field of concurrent concepts with no significant troubles. We identify essential issues related to resonance and the need for clear differentiation from other concepts, which warrant careful consideration in future studies.