Mesmerizing, simply incredible, and horrifying in all ramifications, the news and implications of Donald Trump’s election as American president certainly startled the whole world; however, it cannot be underestimated, given what this means for the broader debate on democracy, populism, and medialization. From celebrity politics, political satire, and passionate polemics to puns, political insults, jests, and parodies, Trump’s presidency was riddled with a damning litany of inconsistencies, topsy-turvy, and cronyism. His refusal to concede the 2020 US Presidential election; his promotion of baseless conspiracy theories attacking voting integrity; “helping” democratic candidates at the Georgia Senate runoffs and his encouragement of the crowd that that rioted at the Capitol on January 6. His election represents a dramatic progression of America’s electoral system from a political process to an entertainment process. This volume shows how the politics of racial sentiments, negative partisanship, deep polarization, and authoritarian populism in the United States and elsewhere impact the nation-state, society, economic development, and community building in the twenty-first century, presented in various illustrations in new and determined ways in and outside conventional forms of politics. It emphasizes that democracy and human rights are very important areas of global politics but are under attack by global forces of autocracy, populism/neofascism, and authoritarianism. Alternative interpretations are offered, while consideration on the volume is also presented.
