Populism, political campaigning and digital media: The state of the art and some avenues for future research

Literature on populism covers almost every aspect within the macro-field of political communication, including that of political campaigning. In this specific area of research, studies reflecting on the specific strategies used by populist actors are extensive and multi-faceted. Specifically, all of this takes the adoption of an increasingly comparative and global perspective, a scientific view well beyond institutional politics, or a deep look at the "reactions" that populist communication activates within and across the electorate. Drawing from this holistic approach, we will focus in particular on digital political campaigning and comparative studies, devoting special attention to the Italian populist leaders of the League (Matteo Salvini) and the Movimento 5 Stelle (Giuseppe Conte). Finally, we will provide some brief reflections on methodological challenges, as well as on what to expect regarding the rapid diffusion of the latest technological innovations shaping contemporary society