A Theory of Identity Politics

Soon after Trump's 2020 victory, I saw a Twitter post saying that his victory was the end of identity politics. I understood what the post's author meant, which was that progressive identity politics groups had lost significant power and were in retreat. This would be a valid point if the poster commented on the relative power of progressive identity politics groups. However, ironically, much of Trump's victory can be tied to his success at activating conservative identity politics groups. The post misinterprets the nature of identity politics because it overlooks the rise of conservative identity politics. This is a common mistake, as most individuals automatically associate progressive groups with identity politics. Yet, as will be demonstrated in the following chapters, many of the same qualities seen in progressive identity politics groups can also be found in conservative identity politics groups.