Contemporary populism as a phenomenon of the information society

The article analyzes research approaches to understanding political populism and its place on the ideological map of the world. Populism is considered as an ambivalent ideology of a modern type, formed in the information society. A feature of the authors’ approach is the focus on the media representation of this phenomenon. The article presents a typology of media strategies of populist leaders and organizations in modern politics. The authors consider the ideological omnivorousness of populists as an imitation political technique that distinguishes populist organizations from other radical parties and movements. The paper substantiates the thesis about the infiltration of elements of populist discourse and political practices into the public agenda of «systemic» politicians who participate in information wars in the international arena. The authors conclude that modern populism is not limited to bright marketing techniques and manipulation of electoral expectations; it reflects public disappointment in liberal democratic ideas and policies with their elitism and inattention to the interests of the majority of citizens.