Will Populism TRUMP Democracy in the US?

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Session Description

What impact will President Trump’s populism have on liberal democracy in the U.S.? The 2016 election prompted considerable concern about the risk of damage to the quality, if not the survival of pluralist democracy. After all, ample experiences with populism in other regions, such as Latin America and Eastern Europe, show that this type of unbounded personalistic leadership has inherent tendencies toward illiberalism and authoritarianism. But the U.S. political system seems to have strong safeguards against these kinds of tendencies, such as institutional checks and balances, a fairly consolidated party system, and a vibrant civil society. What will prove stronger – the populist impetus or the defensive capacity of liberal democracy? By bringing together leading specialists on American and Comparative Politics, the proposed roundtable seeks to shed light on this crucial question, and at the same time foment academic dialog across these two subfields.

Sub Unit

• Theme Panel

Chair

• Kurt Weyland University of Texas, Austin

Presenters

• Frances E. Lee Princeton University

• Raul L. Madrid University of Texas, Austin

• Suzanne Mettler Cornell University

• Kenneth M. Roberts Cornell University

• Kurt Weyland University of Texas, Austin