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79361-01 - Seminar: Trump (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Philipp Schweighauser (ph.schweighauser@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course explores the political and cultural significance of Donald J. Trump, his two administrations (2017-2021, 2025- ), and the MAGA movement he created. We will read fictions and essays that directly engage with the man and his politics. We will also watch parts of two documentary series, one celebratory, the other critical of Trump. To do this, we will engage with novels that range from satire and post-apocalyptic fiction to far-right celebration, watch documentaries, read essays that promote Trumpism, and very few essays that critically assess the man and his politics. A key focus will be on thinkers like Michael Anton, Patrick Deneen, and Yoram Hazony, who provide intellectual and political rationales for MAGA and Trumpism. A word of warning: Some of this, especially Mike Stone’s far-right novel, will be offensive to many. |
| Learning objectives | We will engage with a variety of literary, essayistic, filmic, and televisual engagements with the 45th and 47th President of the United States and the political movement he created: Make America Great Again. We will focus particularly on the intellectual and ideological underpinnings of that movement but also engage with a few critical assessments of Trump and Trumpism. The goal is that students reach an in-depth understanding of the figure of Trump, of the political movement he created, and of fictional and non-fictional negotiations of the man and his politics. |
| Bibliography | Please purchase and read the following two novels before the beginning of the semester: Mark Doten’s "Trump Sky Alpha" (2019) and Christopher Buckley’s "Make Russia Great Again" (2020). The Labyrinth bookstore has copies available. Additionally, please read Mike Stone’s "A New America: The First Novel of the Alt-Right!" (2017) by way of preparation for the seminar; it will be available on ADAM. Additional texts are also made available on ADAM. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is open to BA students who have passed the introductory modules, MA students, and PhD candidates. |
| Course application | Please register on https://services.unibas.ch. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 16.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 23.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 30.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 07.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 14.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 21.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 28.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 04.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 11.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 18.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 25.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 02.12.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 09.12.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 16.12.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Modules |
Modul: Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Module: Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | regular attendance, active participation |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |