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Civic associations, populism, and (un-)civic behavior: evidence from Germany
Popescu, Bogdan
Jugl, Marlene
Jugl, Marlene
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Abstract
Civic associations are expected to foster civic, pro-social behavior, but this optimistic view is increasingly contested. We argue that populist radical right parties can strategically target and infiltrate associations to diffuse anti-establishment rhetoric and anti-democratic attitudes. We illustrate this phenomenon by examining the relationship between civic associations and compliance with government rules during Germany's first Covid-19 lockdown with a difference-in-differences design. Results show that areas with denser sport, nature, and culture clubs recorded higher mobility under lockdown. We document the infiltration mechanism and the spreading of anti-democratic attitudes within associations, using survey and election data and qualitative evidence including interviews. In doing so, we shed light on a negative effect of social networks and an understudied strategy of challenger populist parties.
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2024
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Popescu, Bogdan G., and Marlene Jugl. “Civic Associations, Populism, and (Un-)Civic Behavior: Evidence from Germany.” Political Science Research and Methods, 2024, 1–17.