Top Professors on Fascism are Fleeing America

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Jason Stanley’s grandmother escaped Berlin in 1939. She became a Holocaust survivor, and now he has just fled to Canada to escape the rising fascism in our nation under Donald Trump’s administration. Before he left, he issued a warning for the country.

Professor Stanley VIA Time of India

Stanley, a professor of philosophy at Yale University, is a leading scholar of authoritarianism. He has spent years researching how fascism takes root in societies. His 2018 book, How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them, is widely regarded as a powerful exploration of the mechanisms that make fascism appealing to large populations.

Stanley’s work focuses on how political leaders manipulate language, manipulate societal divisions, and normalize authoritarianism. Stanley says that the chaos happening at Columbia University is just a warning:

“I just became very worried because I didn't see a strong enough reaction in other universities to side with Columbia. I see Yale trying not to be a target. And as I said, that's a losing strategy.” Stanley said.

In 2018, Stanley told the New York Times:

"It's easy to see parallels between Trump's words and those of the most reviled fascists in history. That scares me and it should scare you too … You might think I'm trying to frighten you by making these parallels and do you know what? I am.

Stanley’s decision to leave the United States is not just personal but symbolic. His departure underscores a growing trend among intellectuals and academics who feel increasingly alarmed by the direction the country takes under Donald Trump’s leadership. For many, the rise of authoritarian rhetoric and the erosion of democratic norms present a very real and present danger.

Yale professors Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore, who are married, are also fleeing the country since they both took jobs at the University of Toronto. They start in the upcoming fall.

Professor Snyder and Shore VIA thestar.com

Snyder, whose 2017 book On Tyranny became a cultural touchstone during Trump’s presidency, explained in an interview:

'As scholars of history, we can see where things are headed. It is hard to ignore the warning signs.

Jason Stanley’s departure from the United States serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of democracy and the dangers posed by authoritarianism's rise.

As a scholar with deep roots in studying fascism, Stanley’s decision to leave reflects personal concerns and a broader intellectual exodus in response to the increasingly alarming political climate.

His warnings about the parallels between Trump’s rhetoric and that of history’s most notorious fascists are not to be taken lightly. With other prominent intellectuals like Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore following suit, it becomes clear that this exodus is not merely a symbolic act, but a call to action.

As the nation grapples with the erosion of democratic norms, Stanley’s warning is a stark reminder that vigilance and resistance are essential in safeguarding the values that uphold a free society.