Trump Bubble. Kathy Willens AP/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.Barely a few hours after the US Presidential election result was declared, I had to face a class of depressed and demoralised undergraduates. It is sad to see young people, full of energy, vitality, and promise, just lose hope in their future. As the hours went by, I heard of stories from elsewhere in the country — of citizens of minority ancestry worrying that they would be targets of violent racist abuse; of school teachers paralysed; and worst of all, young women articulating their fears that rape would henceforth be legitimised. “What do I tell my children?” has been a common refrain. Is the idea of a plural, inclusive, meritocratic America dead, democracy a sham, and justice a chimera?
There is a great deal of contingency in history; and time rewards those who make the effort.
In times like these, teachers face a particular challenge — because we have to step up to nurture seeds of hope rather than despair. For my part, I decided to say three things to my students, and indeed, everyone who asks. Pray, mobilise, and rethink.
