Competing Populist Communications, Digital Technologies and Elections: The Case of Indonesia

This book examines how populism, digital disinformation, and social media shaped Indonesia’s 2024 elections. It shows how political actors, influencers, and coordinated digital campaigns used emotional narratives, identity politics, and online manipulation to mobilise support, influence public debate, and reshape democratic competition. This book examines how populism, digital disinformation, and social media shaped Indonesia’s 2024 elections. It shows how political actors, influencers, and coordinated digital campaigns used emotional narratives, identity politics, and online manipulation to mobilise support, influence public debate, and reshape democratic competition. Bringing together theoretical chapters and empirical case studies, the book explores religious populism, authoritarian tendencies, digital campaigning, misinformation, and electoral communication in Indonesia. It places the Indonesian case within wider debates on democracy, political polarisation, digital propaganda, and the growing power of online platforms in election politics. The book offers a timely account of how digital technologies are transforming populism and democratic life in the Global South.