The electoral appeal of symbolic class signalling through cultural consumption

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This letter investigates the electoral effects of symbolic class signalling through ‘cultural consumption’ in contemporary politics. We explore how politicians referring to an activity related to class-specific ‘cultural consumption’ – drinking beer in a pub or listening to classical music with a glass of wine – appeals to voters. We argue that symbolic class signalling has gained in importance due to the political realignment along the cultural dimension, and we expect radical right parties to benefit most from it. Our conjoint survey experiment with 1,550 respondents in Switzerland in January/February 2023 confirms our expectation. While many voters are biased against politicians claiming to enjoy classical music and wine, politicians drinking beer in a pub appeal particularly to radical right working-class voters without tertiary education. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of symbolic politics and class identity in times of political transformation.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere90
JournalBritish Journal of Political Science
Volume55
Number of pages12
ISSN0007-1234
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11.07.2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press.

    Research areas

  • candidate choice, conjoint survey experiment, cultural consumption, radical right parties, symbolic class signalling
  • Politics

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