AN A320 EXPERIENCED SMOKE AND A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL IN THE AFT CABIN. AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED WITH RETURN TO LAND.

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CLBING OUT AT APPROX FL260 APPROX 68 NM W OF ZZZ; FLT ATTENDANT CALLED COCKPIT TO RPT SMOKE IN AFT GALLEY. DECLARED EMER. REQUESTED EMER EQUIP. RETURNED TO ZZZ. BRIEFED FLT ATTENDANTS. ACCOMPLISHED APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS INCLUDING OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST. SENT ACARS MESSAGE TO DISPATCH. ACCOMPLISHED SMOOTH LNDG. EXITED TXWY INTO PAD WHERE EMER EQUIP WAS WAITING. CALLED CABIN TO EVALUATE IF EVAC WAS NECESSARY. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED NO SIGNS OF SMOKE IN CABIN. TAXIED TO GATE AND DEPLANED PAX. MET WITH MAINT AND ACCOMPLISHED ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND A JUMPSEATING PILOT IN THE ACFT'S REAR CABIN REPORTED A POPPING SOUND FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY SMOKE. THE SMOKE CONTINUED UP THE SIDE WALLS UNTIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE PULLED REMOVING POWER FROM THE CABIN. THE REPORTER STATED THIS WAS NO BAGEL BURNING IN THE GALLEY. IT WAS A REAL ELECTRICAL SMOKE EVENT. THE CREW TREATED THIS EVENT AS A 'LAND NOW' AND RETURNED TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE NOT KNOWING IF THE ACFT WAS IN JEOPARDY OR NOT. THE CREW WAS CRITICIZED BY MGMT FOR NOT COORDINATING WITH MAINTENANCE AND DISPATCH PRIOR TO RETURNING. THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE CREW FELT THE ACFT WAS IN DANGER AND WOULD HAVE RETURNED REGARDLESS OF OTHER INPUTS.