By Dr. Sabine Kim
Professor of Transnational American Studies
Obama Institute of Transnational American Studies
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
By Dr. Greg Robinson
Chaire de recherche en immigration, ethnicité et citoyenneté
Chaire Raoul-Dandurand en études stratégiques et diplomatiques
Université du Québec à Montréal
Abstract
This issue represents our journal’s first appearance after the onset of what multiple Americanists have referred to, and not in overly positive fashion, as the “Age of Trump.” A central theme of Trump administration discourse is its strident defense of physical borders manifested in harshly exclusionary policies, most notably the administration’s abandoning of the existing DACA program, as well as fostering increased visibility of white nationalist groups and openly racist discourse. At the same time, the White House, led by the president, has distinguished itself by its nationalist attacks on international trade and multilateral diplomacy. As scholars of American Studies based outside the United States, we both feel a special responsibility to make use of our position to investigate and discuss the larger forces at play here. One thing that larger transnational approaches can help reveal is the complex interface between national identity, domestic politics, and state policy, especially in regard to international relations.
051720-12-Immigration-Nationalism-TrumpOriginally published by The Journal of Transnational American Studies 8:1 (2017) under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.