Here are some thoughts regarding the January 6th insurgency. Conspiracy theories and misinformation are playing a pivotal role in motivating unrest. There is recent scholarship about the nature of contemporary conspiracy theories that many see, which seems to be light on theory and strong on claims. Such conspiracism targets democratic Continue Reading
Ideologies
Of Foxes, Hedgehogs, and Trolls
While taking a break from endless COVID-19 news stories, and hoping to have something new to talk about with my pre-school nieces and nephews, I watched the most recent DreamWorks Animation film, Trolls World Tour. After watching the ending credits, my first thought was how marvelously it illustrated the ideas Continue Reading
Nativism, Sinophobia, and COVID-19
In a nativist worldview, nations should be both culturally and ethnically homogenous. However, no nation on earth has such ethnic and cultural purity. Such a construct of nationhood goes against the central pillar of modern liberal democracies—pluralism—which holds that a society consists of separate groups with diverse and competing interests, each of which should be taken as legitimate.
Trump and Sanders: Populism and the Mobilization of Resentment
As the election of Trump and the rise of Bernie Sanders attests, Americans are living in populist times. But, what does ‘populism’ mean, and does it deserve its negative reputation? What are the sources of anger that Trump and Sanders tap into as populist candidates? Today, I delve into those Continue Reading
What is Fascism?
Teenagers and counter-culture youths often call authority figures or bullies, “Fascist!” The term has been so misused that many see it as a comically juvenile insult bereft of meaning. Historically, that was not always the case. Fascist ideology once inspired mass movements and led to a World War. Some social Continue Reading