Since the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States, a cottage industry of political classification and comparison has emerged. Terms like “fascism,” “authoritarianism,” “kleptocracy” and “demagoguery,” – to name just a few – have become commonplace in our political discourse. But what does it all mean? Are historical analogies, particularly to the European past, useful in trying to understand American politics today? Or is the Trump regime a class unto itself? Historians of Europe, Russia, and International Relations will share their perspectives on current U.S. politics in a roundtable format.
