Abstract
Abstract The aim of this project is to study the role played by fictional audiovisual media in cultures of populism, in 21st-century Italy. In past decades, liberal democracies have been threatened by the rise of populist movements, hegemonizing complex social and economic crises through a pattern of recurring, simplified narratives. Key features of this “populist imagination” are: the rhetorical construction and idealization of national “people”; its habitual relationship to a charismatic leader; a social binary between that “people” and a corrupt elite or external enemy; and contempt for traditional political processes. The role of the media in the affirmation of populism has been widely acknowledged: political narratives and audiovisual fiction spread through an interrupted flow in the mediascape. Though much research has been dedicated to the role of the information media, little work has illustrated the extent to which fictional narratives are a crucial actant in the populist mediascape. This is surprising, considering the clear potential for fiction to contribute to the specific narratives on which populist movements are built. This project aims to fill the gap by tracking the circulation of populist narratives, focusing in particular on audiovisual media. Our focus is on Italy, a country that has long acted as a “political workshop” for innovative trends of populism – including specific relationships with the media, from Berlusconi (TV) to Salvini (Facebook) – culminating in governments in the 21st century that have profoundly transformed populist politics. The current scenario sees a variety of (neo-)populist actors, including Beppe Grillo, Matteo Renzi, Giorgia Meloni, Gianluigi Paragone and Matteo Salvini. The project builds upon the current wealth of cultural-political readings of Italian film and TV and intercepts the rising interest in dynamics of media circulation, applying this to the circulation of populist narratives among film, television series and social media. We adopt a cross-disciplinary approach, connecting the tools of cultural and media studies, film and television studies, history, political science and communication studies. After a first phase of theoretical reflection, we identify a sample of representative fictional products that engage with populist narratives. The sample will be subjected to textual analysis, circulation and and reception studies, across new and old media. This work will be cross-referenced with: i) an inquiry into the historical, technological and social conditions that favour a “populist context” within the audiovisual media; and ii) the texts created or remixed by or for populist actors, re-appropriating fictional audiovisual products. With a dissemination strategy that mixes traditional academic outputs and targets a broader audience we aim to contribute to the wider understanding of populism and tackle a set of crucially relevant issues in the contemporary political landscape. Results Achieved By combining perspectives from film and television studies, cultural studies, political science, history, and communication studies, the project Circulating Populist Sentiments in 21st Century Film and TV Fiction in Italy produced an original and interdisciplinary framework for understanding how fictional narratives contribute to the circulation, reinforcement, or contestation of populist sentiments in contemporary societies. One of the project’s most significant achievements was the development of a shared theoretical framework capable of bridging political theories of populism with the study of audiovisual culture. Drawing on ideational and discursive theories of populism, as well as scholarship on emotions, structures of feeling, and cultural narratives, the research team elaborated a conceptual model for analysing the relationship between political affect and fictional screen narratives. This framework was refined throughout the project through collaborative research activities, reading groups, workshops, and conference presentations, and provides a foundation for future comparative research beyond the Italian case. At the empirical level, the project generated substantial new knowledge across four interconnected research areas. First, it examined the historical, industrial, and institutional infrastructures that enable the circulation of populist narratives in Italian audiovisual media. Research focused on major production companies, including Éliseo Entertainment, Grøenlandia, and The Apartment, as well as on the relationship between political power and public service broadcasting. A comprehensive timeline of relevant Italian audiovisual productions was also created as a shared research resource. Second, the project analysed representations of populist themes, emotions, and identities in Italian cinema and television. Researchers developed a systematic periodisation of populist narratives in Italian screen culture from the 1990s to the present, identifying distinct phases associated with political and cultural transformations. Case studies explored topics such as migration narratives, religion and papal leadership, populism and comedy, health and science discourse, crime drama, and the role of stardom in the circulation of political affect. Third, it investigated how populist political actors appropriate and recirculate fictional audiovisual texts within their public communication strategies. Particular attention was devoted to the remediation of audiovisual culture through social media and to the use of popular cultural references as tools of political self-representation. Fourth, the project examined broader populist discourses circulating across the Italian mediascape. Through qualitative and digital methods, including discourse analysis and the study of online audience interactions, the research identified recurring rhetorical and affective structures connecting fictional narratives with wider political debates. A major outcome was the consolidation and expansion of an international research network dedicated to the study of populism and audiovisual culture. Building on collaborations previously established through the project Screening European Populisms (2008–2020). Audiovisual Fiction, Social Media, and Political Affect, the research team created a sustained platform for dialogue among scholars working at the intersection of media studies, political communication, and cultural analysis. This network was strengthened through a series of international research events, including the workshop Popular Audiences, Populist Narratives in Contemporary European Film and TV Series (Paris, 2024), Una politica “troppo italiana”? Immaginari popolari/populisti nei media (Bologna, 2025), and the final international conference The Populist Screen: The Production and Distribution of Politics in Contemporary European Film and TV (Urbino, 2025). Together, these events involved more than sixty scholars and researchers from Italy and abroad, creating opportunities for intellectual exchange, future collaborations, and the long-term development of comparative research on populism and screen culture. The project also generated a substantial publication output. Among the main outcomes are the forthcoming open-access working paper Populist Narratives in Film and TV: A Conceptual Framework by Dominic Holdaway and the international special issue of Cinéma et Cie, titled The Populist Screen: The Poetics, Production and Circulation of Populism in Contemporary European Audiovisual Media. Guest-edited by Dominic Holdaway, Luana Fedele, and Thomas J. Scherer, the special issue attracted twenty-three submissions from scholars across Europe and beyond, demonstrating both the international visibility of the project and the growing scholarly interest in the relationship between populism and audiovisual culture. Particular attention was devoted to research dissemination and public engagement. The project reached audiences beyond academia through the media literacy initiative Media-Pop: Narrazioni popolari e conflitti politici, developed by the Rome research unit and delivered to secondary school students. The initiative translated the project’s findings into educational activities aimed at fostering critical understanding of political narratives across film, television, and social media. A podcast series based on interviews and project findings is also in preparation as a further public-facing dissemination tool. The project also made a significant contribution to the training and professional development of early-career researchers. Four postdoctoral researchers played a central role in the activities, contributing to data collection, analysis, conference organisation, and publication development. Reading groups, workshops, seminars, and international networking opportunities provided a collaborative environment that supported the growth of a new generation of scholars working at the intersection of screen studies, political communication, and cultural analysis.
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Paola Brembilla
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento delle Arti
Coordinatore:
Università degli Studi di URBINO "Carlo Bo"(Italy)
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 64.194,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
17/10/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
