Why Irrational Politics Appeals (PDF)

The 2016 election has inspired millions of U.S. citizens-and struck panic in the hearts of millions more. This book explains the allure of Trump, examines how Trump's success ties into the hopes and fears of many Americans, and calls into question the limitations of our democratic system.

Across the United States and around the world, people are struggling to understand why so many turned to Donald Trump-an individual described as rude and insensitive at best, and as racist, hateful, and ignorant at worst-as their champion. Trump's nomination as the Republican presidential candidate, and his subsequent election to president of the United States, upended many long-held assumptions and beliefs about politics, such as the inevitable power of superfunding election syndicates and the need for presidential candidates to have governance experience and broad knowledge of domestic and foreign affairs.

Why Irrational Politics Appeals: Understanding the Allure of Trump takes a serious, scientific look at Trump and his politics against the backdrop of modern American society. It brings together experts from a variety of psychological and political science fields to answer the mystifying question of why people by the millions would follow a leader who to so many others seems unqualified, undiplomatic, and in opposition to previously established standards for a national leader.

Readers will gain an understanding of how little a role rationality plays in political choices, particularly-but not always-among citizens of certain socioeconomic backgrounds; and why Trump's apparently divisive attitudes and prejudices, his lack of "political correctness," and his hubris appeal to so many voters. The book also raises questions about our democratic processes, and our need for more thoughtful political cultures to ensure that citizens are adequately prepared to make important leadership decisions that will affect the future of our nation's economy, social norms, and global safety.