Trump’s populism, la trahison des clercs and embracing dissent

Abstract

This article explores President Trump’s populist politics and its implications for scholars in communication studies, examining how Trump’s supporters need to be better understood within their own context. The thinking of Laclau, Mouffe and others, based particularly on observations of European populism, is employed to shed light on how populist social trends may undermine the legitimacy of rational public discourse and foster public acceptance of authoritarianism. Their perspective also gives insights into means by which scholars can better understand their own responsibility to avoid falling into the trap of invective-swapping seen during the US 2016 presidential campaign. In so doing, the article suggests ways whereby scholars can work towards the protection of a free society and help resolve the crisis of populism in ethical, informed and nuanced ways that help to arrest a drift to authoritarianism.