The Meta-violence of Trumpism

The rise of Donald Trump in United States politics relied on violence. This article examines uses of physical and rhetorical violence in the context of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election campaign to analyze the emergence of a new social movement: “Trumpism.” Though its meaning and utility are fluid...

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Main Author: Samira Saramo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Association for American Studies 2017-08-01
Series:European Journal of American Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12129
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author Samira Saramo
author_facet Samira Saramo
author_sort Samira Saramo
collection DOAJ
description The rise of Donald Trump in United States politics relied on violence. This article examines uses of physical and rhetorical violence in the context of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election campaign to analyze the emergence of a new social movement: “Trumpism.” Though its meaning and utility are fluid and contested, Trumpism offers a useful lens for viewing a new phase of U.S. pop politics. Defined in terms of populism, strongman politics, and identitarianism, Trumpism employed emotional evocations of violence—fear, threats, hatred, and division—which at times erupted into physical displays of aggression. The article argues that the impact of Trumpism can be understood through the lens of meta-violence, evidenced by extreme emotions, social antagonisms, and international tensions.
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spelling doaj-art-ce4ba277af244d5aadd0ba4f21f67eb12025-01-06T09:09:37ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362017-08-0112210.4000/ejas.12129The Meta-violence of TrumpismSamira SaramoThe rise of Donald Trump in United States politics relied on violence. This article examines uses of physical and rhetorical violence in the context of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election campaign to analyze the emergence of a new social movement: “Trumpism.” Though its meaning and utility are fluid and contested, Trumpism offers a useful lens for viewing a new phase of U.S. pop politics. Defined in terms of populism, strongman politics, and identitarianism, Trumpism employed emotional evocations of violence—fear, threats, hatred, and division—which at times erupted into physical displays of aggression. The article argues that the impact of Trumpism can be understood through the lens of meta-violence, evidenced by extreme emotions, social antagonisms, and international tensions.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12129violence; meta-violence; rhetoric; populism; strongman; identitarianism; nativism; social movements; Trumpism; Donald Trump
spellingShingle Samira Saramo
The Meta-violence of Trumpism
European Journal of American Studies
violence; meta-violence; rhetoric; populism; strongman; identitarianism; nativism; social movements; Trumpism; Donald Trump
title The Meta-violence of Trumpism
title_full The Meta-violence of Trumpism
title_fullStr The Meta-violence of Trumpism
title_full_unstemmed The Meta-violence of Trumpism
title_short The Meta-violence of Trumpism
title_sort meta violence of trumpism
topic violence; meta-violence; rhetoric; populism; strongman; identitarianism; nativism; social movements; Trumpism; Donald Trump
url https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12129
work_keys_str_mv AT samirasaramo themetaviolenceoftrumpism
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