Antidemocracy in America

This insightful collection, Antidemocracy in America, examines the fragility of democracy and the societal issues that have arisen since Trump's election.

In Antidemocracy in America, a group of leading scholars come together to explore the vulnerabilities within American democracy and the implications of Donald Trump’s presidency. This collection of essays addresses critical issues such as race, religion, gender, civil liberties, and the media, shedding light on the deep-seated problems that have emerged in the wake of the 2016 election. The book emphasizes that Trump’s rise is not merely an isolated event but rather a symptom of deeper societal contradictions and challenges that have long existed in American history.

The essays delve into various aspects of American life, examining how the political landscape has shifted dramatically since Election Day in 2016. The authors argue that the Obama administration's successes masked persistent inequalities and injustices that continue to affect marginalized communities. As the nation grapples with an increase in bigotry and repression, Antidemocracy in America encourages readers to step back and analyze the broader context of these developments, rather than getting lost in the daily chaos of political news.

Edited by Eric Klinenberg alongside Caitlin Zaloom and Sharon Marcus, this book places the current state of American democracy within a global framework, reflecting on the rise of authoritarianism worldwide. Each contribution aims to deepen our understanding of what it means to live in a fragile democracy and offers suggestions on how to safeguard democratic values in the face of emerging threats.