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Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization
Abstract
This article examines how and why right-wing populist actors develop differentiated anti-gender discourses and policies by drawing on the concepts of deinstitutionalization and femonationalism. The study employs Kurt Weyland's theoretical framework of populism to analyze the strategic variations in question. The argument is developed that right-wing populism does not engender a uniform or ideologically fixed gender agenda; instead, gender politics functions as a contextual and rational instrument shaped by the opportunities and constraints of specific political systems. The study utilizes a comparative discourse analysis of multiple cases to demonstrate that, despite the convergence of right-wing populist actors around anti-gender narratives, these narratives are mobilized in distinct ways depending on the regime structure. In illiberal or authoritarian contexts, populist leaders engage in anti-gender deinstitutionalization, dismantling existing equality mechanisms and weakening liberal-democratic checks and balances. In contrast, within liberal democracies, the deployment of femonationalist exclusion is observed, with gender equality discourses being instrumentalized for the legitimation of anti-immigrant, nativist, and xenophobic agendas. The article contributes to the expanding literature on gender and right-wing populism, both in terms of conceptual and theoretical development.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Political Theory and Political Philosophy, Gender and Politics
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Publication Date
March 26, 2026
Submission Date
November 22, 2025
Acceptance Date
December 20, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 1
APA
Alıcı, H. Ö. (2026). Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization. Politik Ekonomik Kuram, 10(1), 53-66. https://doi.org/10.30586/pek.1828558
AMA
1.Alıcı HÖ. Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization. Politik Ekonomik Kuram. 2026;10(1):53-66. doi:10.30586/pek.1828558
Chicago
Alıcı, Hünkar Özgü. 2026. “Two Gendered Pathways of Right-Wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization”. Politik Ekonomik Kuram 10 (1): 53-66. https://doi.org/10.30586/pek.1828558.
EndNote
Alıcı HÖ (March 1, 2026) Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization. Politik Ekonomik Kuram 10 1 53–66.
IEEE
[1]H. Ö. Alıcı, “Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization”, Politik Ekonomik Kuram, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 53–66, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.30586/pek.1828558.
ISNAD
Alıcı, Hünkar Özgü. “Two Gendered Pathways of Right-Wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization”. Politik Ekonomik Kuram 10/1 (March 1, 2026): 53-66. https://doi.org/10.30586/pek.1828558.
JAMA
1.Alıcı HÖ. Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization. Politik Ekonomik Kuram. 2026;10:53–66.
MLA
Alıcı, Hünkar Özgü. “Two Gendered Pathways of Right-Wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization”. Politik Ekonomik Kuram, vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 2026, pp. 53-66, doi:10.30586/pek.1828558.
Vancouver
1.Hünkar Özgü Alıcı. Two Gendered Pathways of Right-wing Populism: Femonationalism and Deinstitutionalization. Politik Ekonomik Kuram. 2026 Mar. 1;10(1):53-66. doi:10.30586/pek.1828558