Open AccessMyth and meaning: ‘Corbynism’ and the interpretation of political leadership
Author(s) -
Karl Pike,
Patrick Diamond
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
british journal of politics and international relations/british journal of politics and international relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.049
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-856X
pISSN - 1369-1481
DOI - 10.1177/1369148121996252
Subject(s) - mythology , politics , interpretation (philosophy) , meaning (existential) , element (criminal law) , political science , political economy , sociology , law , epistemology , history , philosophy , computer science , programming language , classics
In its contribution to the study of political leadership, this article provides a distinctive analytical lens: political myth understood as meanings which animate a leadership project. Heavily constitutive of political leadership at a particular moment in time, political myths are important for understanding the resilience of a leadership project and the judgements of its actors. We demonstrate a way of applying this concept through an analysis of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership from 2015 to 2020 and the identification of four key elements of the ‘Corbyn myth’: a ‘mould-breaking’ stance on policy, a return to class politics for Labour, heralding a ‘left wave’ sweeping the world, and the moral and political repudiation of the Iraq War. Each element clearly emphasises the explicit rejection of New Labour. Our analysis provides a holistic account of the Corbyn project with greater specificity about the meanings attached to Corbyn’s leadership by supporters.