The election of Donald Trump is the most recent manifestation of a politics of fear and exclusion that is affecting every region of the world. This politics taps into serious concerns that arise from a faltering economic model and growing inequality, corporate capture of state institutions, and uncertainty in the face of rapid and precarious change. However, Trump and others address these legitimate anxieties and grievances with a deliberately misplaced analysis of both the root causes and the solutions, which promise to further entrench the socioeconomic and political insecurity that threaten so many communities within and beyond the United States.
Trump has emboldened an overtly anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, racist and misogynist rhetoric. Hate crimes have already begun to grow. As Inga Winkler suggests, we must confront stigmatization and “othering” in both the private and public spheres, strategically utilizing domestic and international tools. A small percentage of voters embraced the more disturbing of Trump’s statements and personal past. Many—who were safely white and often male—too easily overlooked them. Yet they were arguably most drawn to his promises to bring jobs back to the United States and his positioning as an outsider versus Clinton, who was depicted as coopted by Wall Street interests and part of a corrupted political system.
