Tom Wraight

Presentation

My research interests lie in the comparative study of right-wing populist movements - right-wing populism being broadly defined as an ideology which combines populist discourses of a good and decent people against a corrupt and decadent elite and right-wing notions of a distinctive national culture which must be protected against the ravages of immigration and globalisation. This subject has become a burgeoning research area in political science (in part due to the recent events like the election of Donald Trump), but there is as of yet little consensus on the reasons why right-wing populist ideas gain traction. My PhD will help address this question through a comparative analysis of right-wing populism across the western world. Focussing particularly on the United States, Great Britain and Scandinavia it aims to evaluate the competing theories of right-wing populist success. It will also consider the role that intuitions, like the media, political parties and government policy programs, have played in the growth of these movements.

 My PhD will examine the rise of right-wing populist populism across the western world, focussing particularly on the United States, Great Britain and Scandinavia, and will assess competing theories of how right-wing populist ideas gain traction. It will also examine the role that institutions, such as the media, political parties and trade, welfare and employment policies have played in right-wing populist success, and how this role has differed in different countries. 

Primary research areas

Right Wing Populism

Comparative Politics 

Historical Institutionalism