Win or lose in November, Donald Trump has already left an enduring imprint on American life. His unexpected political rise has shaken many long-held assumptions about politics and society. In this special issue, we asked scholars from a range of disciplines — history, political science, sociology, and philosophy, among others — to explore several questions: How did Trump happen? What ideas has he upended? And what does his candidacy mean for the future of democracy?
The Review
Trump’s campaign has become a referendum on what it means to be an American.
The Review
Forget democracy. What we need is epistocracy, where voting power is accorded by competence and knowledge.
The Review
Too long have elites dismissed the political reflexes of impoverished whites.
The Review
We take pleasure in Trump’s clowning, nevermind the civic stakes.
The Review
Michael Kazin, Jill Lepore, Harvey Mansfield, Alan Wolfe, and others offer an election-year curriculum.
The Chronicle Review
Some scholars argue that the reading list represents neither diversity nor a commitment to social justice.