Post-2024 US Presidential elections thoughts, observations, ideas... and hopes!

The day after the elections, on Wednesday, November 5th, my students did not want to talk about the results! Correction – they wanted to talk about something oh so close, but not the actual elections. It was quite curious! I usually start my lectures on international relations by asking if students are following any interesting developments in global affairs. On Wednesday I felt a lot of unease in the room of about 25 or so students. The discussion turned to ‘sword wielding in Brampton’ (reported by the Toronto Sun) in reference to the fact that there was an outright brawl at a Sikh temple in Brampton earlier this week. (Brampton is located near Toronto for our international friend.) So we talked about Canadian-Indian relations, the assassination of the leader of the pro-Khalistani movement here in Canada. And, in relation to all of this, we talked about how and why it is important to screen immigrants so that those who should not enter the country – like those who assassinated the leader of the pro-Khalistani group. So, we did, in fact, talk about issues linked to the elections, or issues that the candidates in the US discussed – but also politicians here in Canada – just in a round-about way. The timing here is quite interesting as - reported by the CBC - the head of the UN’s refugee agency met with PM Justin Trudeau and noted that it is 'wise' to 'reduce' the number of refugees let into the country for the sake of 'backlash against newcomers' and help deal with the housing crisis.

Immigration has been one of the ‘hot ticket’ items during the US elections. Former President Trump won by a landslide – the impending victory was quite clear from the beginning, I am afraid – and there is a broad understanding of the direction of his policies on this issue. But, of course there are also the protectionist tendencies he is courting when it comes to trade, geostrategic visions that could place the Asia Pacific but also Ukraine in a bind, and so on.

So, we are off; the gloves are coming off with regard to attempting to pinpoint critical issues as to why our, the American and the global economies and societies, are struggling, and what to do about these economic, political and societal struggles. I usually trace it back to the global economic downturn at the end of the first decade of the new millennium when the global economy as a whole began to stagnate - but a mono-causal explanation is too simple and easy. And those should be weary of! :) And, of course, lots has happened since 2008 and 2009!

The problems are complex - and no, sorry, immigration alone is not the main issue here at all; 'blaming' social ills on immigration is, again, too simple. The solutions to these issues therefore must also be conceived of as complex as well. Knee-jerks reactions will not suffice, anywhere, and no matter how simple and attractive those 'quick-fixes' are.

So, what is there to do? Well, to listen to one another, because I am not sure if we hear each other, nor do we have an idea as to what the real - or imagined - issues are. A few weeks ago a student asked me in my 'international law and organizations' class about how to approach a situation where one is confronted by a person with a position that is juxtaposed to ones own. My response was to talk to the person, and to hear them out. It is much easier to talk to friends – and we really need to get out of our echo chambers – be we need to speak to those we do not agree with. And, talking is much more important than any other alternatives – silence, ignorance, and especially violence.

The past number of years, perhaps starting with 2008 and the global economic crisis, a large number of the Canadian, US but also global population has been struggling economically, politically, and socially. From personal experience, these struggles, I think, tap into something much more ‘primal’ or ‘internal’, and that is our sense of security; I like to call it ‘ontological insecurity’. (Please note that I did not come up with this term! 😊) I would say it is fear that is driving a lot of what we think, say, and do. We often refer to this as living in a 'complex' world; well, there a number of drivers of these complexities but I do think - giving a nod to 'cosmopolitanism' - that people across the globe are experiencing something similar. The clear question for me is how to get to a ‘safe place’ individually and socially, where we are not afraid anymore - of at least expressing ourselves.

From another perspective, 'fear and trembling' - via Kierkegaard - is part and parcel of the human condition. Nothing new really; but then I do think we need to pinpoint what drives the angst, what is at the heart of all of this - even as our financial investments and portfolios are gaining and growing, which provides another layer of complexity...

So, let's talk ... and listen because the problems are complex, and the solutions will need to necessarily embrace this complexity! :)