The rise of nationalist populism in the US and elsewhere has emerged as a key challenge to the Western-centric liberal international order in the 21st century. A basic antagonism of the 'people' versus the 'elite' has become projected onto the international sphere to reject cooperative policies, ideologies, institutions, and organisations that are declared as both unjust and holding down the 'true' people.


Reinforcing a trend towards multipolarity, the professed foreign policy direction by former President Trump aimed to force a rupture to existing international and external arrangements and policies in the name of reclaiming national sovereignty and to re-establish American greatness.


While some perceive that the immediate threat posed by former President Trump and his MAGA movement to representative democracy in America has receded with their loss of electoral power over the last two years, populist mobilisation of anti-elitism and anti-globalism from the right has not.

To what extent has the rhetoric that helped elect the former TV celebrity in 2016 been reproduced by his opponents, including his successor to America's highest office, Joe Biden? And how do they continue to shape US foreign and domestic politics?


AIIA Victoria invites you to join Alexandra Homolar for her insights and to discuss her forthcoming book The Uncertainty Doctrine: Narrative Politics and US Hard Power after the Cold War (Cambridge University Press, 2023).


To download the pdf flyer, please click here.


AIIA Victoria gratefully acknowledges the support of the Walter Mangold Trust Fund for our young members.

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