This is the first study to make a detail case for the Frankfurt School’s relevance to understanding contemporary populism. It reconstructs their analysis of ‘modern demagogy’ and demonstrates its advantages over orthodox ‘populism studies’ and the work of Laclau. The book also extends the Institute’s analysis to assess ‘counter-demagogic’ forces.

Populism is a powerful force today, but its full scope has eluded the analytical tools of both orthodox and heterodox ‘populism studies’. This book provides a valuable alternative perspective. It reconstructs in detail for the first time the sociological analyses of US demagogues by members of the Frankfurt School and compares these with contemporary approaches. Modern demagogy emerges as a key under-researched feature of populism, since populist movements, whether 'left' or 'right', are highly susceptible to 'demagogic capture'. The book also details the culture industry’s populist contradictions – including its role as an incubator of modern demagogues – from the 1930s through to today’s social media and ‘Trumpian psychotechnics’. Featuring a previously unpublished text by Adorno on modern demagogy as an appendix, it will be of interest to researchers and students in critical theory, sociology, politics, German studies, philosophy and history of ideas, as well as all those concerned about the rise of demagogic populism today.

Part I: Critically theorising demagogic populism1 Introduction: from orthodox ‘populism studies’ to critical theory2 The Institute’s analysis of ‘modern demagogy’3 Expanding the reach of the Institute’s analysis4 Gramscian analyses of fascism and populism: Poulantzas, Laclau, Hall5 Towards a synthesis of critical perspectivesPart II: Populist contradictions of the culture industry6 Cultural populisms and culture industry7 Counter-demagogic popular art: towards a selective traditionExcursus: an outline of Trumpian psychotechnics8 Structural transformations of demagogic populismAppendix: Theodore Adorno, Introduction to Prophets of DeceitIndex