WWU presents Crazy Politics: Populism, Conspiracy Theories & Paranoia in America

Anti-establishment candidates rail against the government they seek to lead; populist groups like the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street howl about corruption in political and economic institutions; and wild conspiracy theories abound. Has American politics always been so crazy? Explore how American politics has become an arena for suspicious and angry minds. The talk explains the rise of today’s populist and conspiratorial politics, draws parallels to earlier periods, and describes how populism on the left and right differ today.