Shawn Rosenberg is a professor of political science and psychology at UC Irvine and one of the world’s foremost experts in political psychology.
He warns that the average American and other people who live in countries governed by Western-style democracies may be fundamentally unable to follow through on the basic responsibilities of being responsible citizens. Such a deficiency helps to explain why right-wing fake populism and other forms of authoritarianism and fascism are compelling to so many people – and that saving American and Western-style democracy from the rising fascist tide will require fundamental reforms of the educational system and democratic institutions.
In this wide-ranging conversation with the highly respected writer/podcaster Chauncey DeVega, Shawn Rosenberg also explains why Trump’s followers and those of other right-wing populists and demagogues are so attracted to violence, conspiracism, nationalism, racism, bigotry, the cult of ignorance, dark charisma and the other anti-social values and beliefs that animate such movements.
The World Turned Upside Down 