OUR COMMON GROUND

The nationalist interpretation

The future of authoritarian populism “A new book helps us make sense of this. Called “The End of the End of History,” it projects the future of global politics at a moment when Western liberal democracy’s future no longer seems assured, as the allusion to Francis Fukuyama’s famous (and misrepresented) thesis suggests. This sort ofContinue reading “The nationalist interpretation”

The American Abyss ::: NYT MAG Essay

The American Abyss ::: NYT A historian of fascism and political atrocity on Trump, the mob and what comes next. . . . Post-truth is pre-fascism, and Trump has been our post-truth president. When we give up on truth, we concede power to those with the wealth and charisma to create spectacle in its place. WithoutContinue reading “The American Abyss ::: NYT MAG Essay”

How Close Are We to Becoming a Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale?

“How did the the United States become the Republic of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale? The never-ending belief in male dominance, women’s complicity in those beliefs, and people not wanting to be bothered with anything that did not immediately affect their lives—that’s how. Offred, the protagonist was guilty of the latter, just as many areContinue reading “How Close Are We to Becoming a Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale?”

The Handmaid’s Tale

“If America Fails?: The Coming Tyranny” Examining The Handmaid’s Tale. . .the fictional story that explores the real potential of the U.S. as a failed state. Discussion of “The Handmaid’s Tale” ( Hulu series) through the lens and perspectives of the Black experience – the events, characters, and the capacity of the U.S. to failContinue reading “The Handmaid’s Tale”

About “If America Fails?: The Coming Tyranny” Discussion Series

“If America Fails?: The Coming Tyranny” (IAF) uses themes from The Handmaid’s Tale, the fictional story that explores the real potential of the U.S. as a failed state, to consider the chance of these events occurring in our modern society. We offer discussion of “The Handmaid’s Tale” ( Hulu series) through the lens and perspectivesContinue reading “About “If America Fails?: The Coming Tyranny” Discussion Series”

Fascism and the Fragility of Democracy

“We can see essential characteristics of a political phenomenon called “fascism” in the same way that we might identify similar elements in “socialism” or “liberalism.” Some of these characteristics are generally agreed upon; others are disputed. For example, most scholars agree that fascism emerges after a major political, social or economic upheaval, such as WorldContinue reading “Fascism and the Fragility of Democracy”