Happy Dog Takes on the World: We the People

From the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States to Britain’s Brexit vote to leave the European Union to the ascendance of the nationalist Front National in France and other political movements across the globe, people that feel economically left behind and/or culturally under threat are increasingly turning to “populist” leaders as a voice for their frustrations. While the politics of these movements and leaders differ, the underlying message about people fighting the status quo and opposing a corrupt elite – the underlying populism – seems strikingly similar.

Why are we seeing a trend toward populism globally, and what does this mean for the fate of liberal democracies? What does it say about the current international economic system and its prospects? Finally, what does this mean for the role of the U.S. in the world?

Join us, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, International Partners in Mission, and the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Middle Eastern Studies (NOCMES) for a free conversation on the rising tide of global populism and its implications.