FEATURED PANEL: Political Science in the Era of Trump. Sponsored by APSA

Abstract

Donald Trump’s surprise victory in the U.S. presidential election, along with the unexpected approval of Brexit and resurgent far right movements in Europe, have brought to the fore pressing questions about the role of political science and how it relates to politics and policymaking. What is the future of academic freedom? What will the relationship between political scientists and government be, and how will that vary around the world? Will there be effects on collaboration among political scientists across the globe? Should, and how should, these developments affect political science research agendas? How can political scientists best address questions of democracy, populism, and economic distribution? What is the discipline’s role in engaging policymakers and the public on these issues? This Panel will address these questions, along with what these recent developments mean for political science, both in terms of the unique challenges that they introduce for political science research and their implications for future research agendas.