Barack Obama’s ‘favourite political thinker’ on identity politics.

The man said to be Barack Obama’s ‘favourite political thinker’ joins us to discuss the origins, consequences and limitations of what he terms ‘identity synthesis’.

In The Identity Trap Yascha Mounk argues that what started as an appreciation of the culture and heritage of minorities marginalised by society has transformed into an obsession with group identity in all its forms, putting it at the heart of social, cultural and political life.

Tracing the intellectual origin of these ideas, the John Hopkins professor and The Great Experiment author seeks to understand the impact of the ideas that rightly or wrongly constitute ‘identity politics’

Buy a copy of The Identity Trap by Yascha Mounk.

This event will last approximately 1 hour, without an interval.

Digital events will take place over Zoom, with an event link sent to bookers 24 hours in advance of the event and a reminder email 30 minutes before the event starts. Ticket holders for digital events will also be sent a link to a recording of the event, available to watch until the end of March.

Book Week 24 Digi-Pass gives access to all 16 online streaming events for £39.50.

About the speakers:

Yascha Mounk is a writer and academic known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy. Born in Germany to Polish parents, Mounk received his BA in history from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and his PhD in government from Harvard University. He is now a professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. Mounk is also a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, the founder of the online magazine Persuasion and a publisher of Die Zeit. He is the author of The People vs Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It and The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure.

Jake Wallis Simon is an award-winning British journalist and novelist. Formerly a foreign correspondent who has worked for the BBC and national newspapers, he is now Editor of the Jewish Chronicle, where he has become known for publishing world exclusives, often about Iran and the Mossad. In addition, he is a writer for the Spectator, a commentator for Sky News and a broadcaster for BBC Radio 4 and the World Service.