Alberto Stefanelli
@albertostefanelli.bsky.social
Lecturer @ Yale University | radical ideologies, populism, pol behaviour, polarisation, democracy, #rstat, and causal inference. albertostefanelli.com
congratulations!! very excited to see what's coming next : )
September 22, 2025 at 2:42 PM
congratulations!! very excited to see what's coming next : )
If you do not have institutional access, feel free to message me for a copy or get the author's version on my website albertostefanelli.com
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Lecturer Department of Political Science & Statistics Yale University
albertostefanelli.com
September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
If you do not have institutional access, feel free to message me for a copy or get the author's version on my website albertostefanelli.com
(7/7)
(7/7)
I show this dynamic in my WEP article "Freedom for All? Populism and the Instrumental Support of Freedom of Speech" — populists are strong supporters of free speech in abstract terms, but withdraw that support when it clashes with their political interests www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Freedom for all? Populism and the instrumental support of freedom of speech
Populists often cast themselves as unwavering defenders of free speech. In practice, however, they tend to apply free speech instrumentally, denying it to those who hold opposing political views. W...
www.tandfonline.com
September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I show this dynamic in my WEP article "Freedom for All? Populism and the Instrumental Support of Freedom of Speech" — populists are strong supporters of free speech in abstract terms, but withdraw that support when it clashes with their political interests www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Populism exploits this tension by portraying liberal rights, like media freedom, as barriers to the true will of the people. Popular sovereignty is framed as the only genuine source of legitimacy, justifying restrictions on fundamental rights whenever they conflict with “the people’s will.”
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September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Populism exploits this tension by portraying liberal rights, like media freedom, as barriers to the true will of the people. Popular sovereignty is framed as the only genuine source of legitimacy, justifying restrictions on fundamental rights whenever they conflict with “the people’s will.”
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This reflects a core tension in democracy:
Liberal rights (pluralism, minority protection, checks and balances)
vs.
Popular sovereignty (rule of the majority, “the will of the people”)
(4/)
Liberal rights (pluralism, minority protection, checks and balances)
vs.
Popular sovereignty (rule of the majority, “the will of the people”)
(4/)
September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
This reflects a core tension in democracy:
Liberal rights (pluralism, minority protection, checks and balances)
vs.
Popular sovereignty (rule of the majority, “the will of the people”)
(4/)
Liberal rights (pluralism, minority protection, checks and balances)
vs.
Popular sovereignty (rule of the majority, “the will of the people”)
(4/)
Trump’s recent warning that he would revoke broadcasting licenses if criticized is a clear example of this.
In populist terms free speech becomes a conditional right: upheld when it protects “the people’s voice,” yet quickly curtailed when it empowers critics.
(3/)
In populist terms free speech becomes a conditional right: upheld when it protects “the people’s voice,” yet quickly curtailed when it empowers critics.
(3/)
September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Trump’s recent warning that he would revoke broadcasting licenses if criticized is a clear example of this.
In populist terms free speech becomes a conditional right: upheld when it protects “the people’s voice,” yet quickly curtailed when it empowers critics.
(3/)
In populist terms free speech becomes a conditional right: upheld when it protects “the people’s voice,” yet quickly curtailed when it empowers critics.
(3/)
Populist leaders present themselves as the true defenders of free speech.
But support is often selective: speech is championed when it serves “the people” and suppressed when it threatens them.
(2/)
But support is often selective: speech is championed when it serves “the people” and suppressed when it threatens them.
(2/)
September 19, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Populist leaders present themselves as the true defenders of free speech.
But support is often selective: speech is championed when it serves “the people” and suppressed when it threatens them.
(2/)
But support is often selective: speech is championed when it serves “the people” and suppressed when it threatens them.
(2/)
📄 Full out on West European Politics (since two months).
Let us know what you think — and feel free to share or challenge these findings. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
(14/14)
Let us know what you think — and feel free to share or challenge these findings. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
(14/14)
Freedom for all? Populism and the instrumental support of freedom of speech
Populists often cast themselves as unwavering defenders of free speech. In practice, however, they tend to apply free speech instrumentally, denying it to those who hold opposing political views. W...
www.tandfonline.com
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📄 Full out on West European Politics (since two months).
Let us know what you think — and feel free to share or challenge these findings. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
(14/14)
Let us know what you think — and feel free to share or challenge these findings. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
(14/14)
🧠 Why it matters:
Populism doesn’t just oppose liberal democracy — it reinterprets it instrumentally.
Not everyone deserves rights. Not everyone should be heard. Only those who belong to the “real people.”
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Populism doesn’t just oppose liberal democracy — it reinterprets it instrumentally.
Not everyone deserves rights. Not everyone should be heard. Only those who belong to the “real people.”
(13/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🧠 Why it matters:
Populism doesn’t just oppose liberal democracy — it reinterprets it instrumentally.
Not everyone deserves rights. Not everyone should be heard. Only those who belong to the “real people.”
(13/)
Populism doesn’t just oppose liberal democracy — it reinterprets it instrumentally.
Not everyone deserves rights. Not everyone should be heard. Only those who belong to the “real people.”
(13/)
We call this the normative vs. instrumental gap:
People support democratic principles in theory, but bend them in practice.
Among populists, that gap widens sharply.
(12/)
People support democratic principles in theory, but bend them in practice.
Among populists, that gap widens sharply.
(12/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We call this the normative vs. instrumental gap:
People support democratic principles in theory, but bend them in practice.
Among populists, that gap widens sharply.
(12/)
People support democratic principles in theory, but bend them in practice.
Among populists, that gap widens sharply.
(12/)
This fits a broader pattern:
➡️ Many citizens claim to support and uphold democratic norms
➡️ But support fades when democracy is at stake with other relevant political issues or personal interests
(11/)
➡️ Many citizens claim to support and uphold democratic norms
➡️ But support fades when democracy is at stake with other relevant political issues or personal interests
(11/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This fits a broader pattern:
➡️ Many citizens claim to support and uphold democratic norms
➡️ But support fades when democracy is at stake with other relevant political issues or personal interests
(11/)
➡️ Many citizens claim to support and uphold democratic norms
➡️ But support fades when democracy is at stake with other relevant political issues or personal interests
(11/)
🔥 In short:
Populists support free speech as a general principle — but apply it selectively depending on whether it severs their cause or advances the interests of a rival group.
(10/)
Populists support free speech as a general principle — but apply it selectively depending on whether it severs their cause or advances the interests of a rival group.
(10/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🔥 In short:
Populists support free speech as a general principle — but apply it selectively depending on whether it severs their cause or advances the interests of a rival group.
(10/)
Populists support free speech as a general principle — but apply it selectively depending on whether it severs their cause or advances the interests of a rival group.
(10/)
💬 Results:
✅ Right-wing populists defended anti-immigrant speech, rejected anti-corporate speech.
✅ Left-wing populists defended anti-corporate speech, rejected anti-immigrant speech.
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✅ Right-wing populists defended anti-immigrant speech, rejected anti-corporate speech.
✅ Left-wing populists defended anti-corporate speech, rejected anti-immigrant speech.
(9/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
💬 Results:
✅ Right-wing populists defended anti-immigrant speech, rejected anti-corporate speech.
✅ Left-wing populists defended anti-corporate speech, rejected anti-immigrant speech.
(9/)
✅ Right-wing populists defended anti-immigrant speech, rejected anti-corporate speech.
✅ Left-wing populists defended anti-corporate speech, rejected anti-immigrant speech.
(9/)
📊 Our experiment:
Respondents saw a speech — either:
• Criticizing immigrants
• Criticizing multinational corporations
Then we asked: should this speech be allowed or stopped?
(8/)
Respondents saw a speech — either:
• Criticizing immigrants
• Criticizing multinational corporations
Then we asked: should this speech be allowed or stopped?
(8/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📊 Our experiment:
Respondents saw a speech — either:
• Criticizing immigrants
• Criticizing multinational corporations
Then we asked: should this speech be allowed or stopped?
(8/)
Respondents saw a speech — either:
• Criticizing immigrants
• Criticizing multinational corporations
Then we asked: should this speech be allowed or stopped?
(8/)
Here’s why👇
Populists often endorse rights like free speech in the abstract, as a tool against the status quo.
But when those rights are applied in ways that challenge them, the "will of the people" should always take precedence.
(7/)
Populists often endorse rights like free speech in the abstract, as a tool against the status quo.
But when those rights are applied in ways that challenge them, the "will of the people" should always take precedence.
(7/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Here’s why👇
Populists often endorse rights like free speech in the abstract, as a tool against the status quo.
But when those rights are applied in ways that challenge them, the "will of the people" should always take precedence.
(7/)
Populists often endorse rights like free speech in the abstract, as a tool against the status quo.
But when those rights are applied in ways that challenge them, the "will of the people" should always take precedence.
(7/)
📚Healthy democracies balance both.
But populism distorts that balance.
It frames liberal rights — courts, civil liberties, minorities — as obstacles to popular sovereignty.
(6/)
But populism distorts that balance.
It frames liberal rights — courts, civil liberties, minorities — as obstacles to popular sovereignty.
(6/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📚Healthy democracies balance both.
But populism distorts that balance.
It frames liberal rights — courts, civil liberties, minorities — as obstacles to popular sovereignty.
(6/)
But populism distorts that balance.
It frames liberal rights — courts, civil liberties, minorities — as obstacles to popular sovereignty.
(6/)
📚 This taps into the classic tension between the two pillars of liberal democracy:
- Liberal rights — pluralism, minority rights, checks and balances
- Popular sovereignty — respect the will of the people as close as possible
(5/)
- Liberal rights — pluralism, minority rights, checks and balances
- Popular sovereignty — respect the will of the people as close as possible
(5/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
📚 This taps into the classic tension between the two pillars of liberal democracy:
- Liberal rights — pluralism, minority rights, checks and balances
- Popular sovereignty — respect the will of the people as close as possible
(5/)
- Liberal rights — pluralism, minority rights, checks and balances
- Popular sovereignty — respect the will of the people as close as possible
(5/)
🧨 Crucially: This gap exists across the population.
But it's much wider among populist individuals.
(4/)
But it's much wider among populist individuals.
(4/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🧨 Crucially: This gap exists across the population.
But it's much wider among populist individuals.
(4/)
But it's much wider among populist individuals.
(4/)
🧠 Main finding:
Populist individuals are more likely to support free speech in principle...
…but less likely to uphold it when the speech goes against their political views.
(3/)
Populist individuals are more likely to support free speech in principle...
…but less likely to uphold it when the speech goes against their political views.
(3/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🧠 Main finding:
Populist individuals are more likely to support free speech in principle...
…but less likely to uphold it when the speech goes against their political views.
(3/)
Populist individuals are more likely to support free speech in principle...
…but less likely to uphold it when the speech goes against their political views.
(3/)
Populist citizens often present themselves as strenuous defenders of free speech.
But is this support principled — or conditional?
We used a face-to-face survey + experiment in Belgium to investigate.
(2/)
But is this support principled — or conditional?
We used a face-to-face survey + experiment in Belgium to investigate.
(2/)
July 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Populist citizens often present themselves as strenuous defenders of free speech.
But is this support principled — or conditional?
We used a face-to-face survey + experiment in Belgium to investigate.
(2/)
But is this support principled — or conditional?
We used a face-to-face survey + experiment in Belgium to investigate.
(2/)