From Market Logic to Political Dynamics: Reassessing the Nature and Study of Political Marketing

Political marketing is a subfield situated at the intersection of political science, political sociology and communication studies. Its emergence as a distinct discipline was inspired by economic theory’s models of exchange and competition, which were transposed to the political sphere to explain how parties, candidates and voters interact. Since the mid-twentieth century, the analogy between economic and political markets has structured much of the field’s conceptual framework. However, this parallelism has also generated enduring debates and methodological controversies. Empirical scholars have increasingly challenged the reduction of political interactions to market transactions, arguing that political choices are often shaped by symbolic, emotional, and institutional variables that differ markedly from patterns of consumer behaviour. Recent studies in behavioural economics and political communication have shown that the rational-choice models at the foundation of early political marketing fail to account for collective identities, ideological attachments, affective polarization and media-induced perceptions that influence electoral outcomes. Despite these advances, the theoretical boundaries of political marketing remain contested, and there is a pressing need to refine its conceptual basis and methodological instruments.This Research Topic aims to promote a systematic and critical reassessment of political marketing as an autonomous area of inquiry. It seeks to interrogate the persistence of the economicist analogy, develop new frameworks that align with the complexity of political processes, and stimulate dialogue between theory and empirical research. Key goals include the evaluation of how far marketing concepts can be meaningfully transposed into politics, the identification of uniquely political variables that differentiate this field from commercial marketing, and the development of methodological approaches suited to studying political persuasion, voter engagement, and strategic communication in different democratic contexts. Contributors are encouraged to address questions such as: What are the theoretical limits of the ‘political market’ metaphor? Which tools from sociology and psychology can enhance the analysis of political marketing phenomena? And how can cross-disciplinary approaches promote a more comprehensive understanding of political exchange?To gather further insights into the conceptual, methodological and empirical dimensions of political marketing, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- The historical evolution and intellectual genealogy of political marketin- Theoretical models distinguishing political from commercial marketing- Methodological innovations in studying political persuasion and voter behavior- Interactions between political communication, media strategy and campaign management- The role of emotions, identity and symbolism in political competition- Comparative perspectives on political marketing in different democratic systems- Critical reflections on the ethics and legitimacy of marketing strategies in politics Topic editors: Flavio Chiapponi, Massimiliano Panarari Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86471/from-market-logic-to-political-dynamics-reassessing-the-nature-and-study-of-political-marketing