February 17 — A public event titled “Nativism & Populism: The Global Forces Shaping Politics” will convene scholars and practitioners for a moderated discussion of immigration, identity, and democratic conflict in the United States and beyond. Cliff Young and Kirby Goidel, authors of the book, will bookend the discussion by the panel of experts.  
 
Moderated by Margaret Talev, the conversation will open with remarks from Cliff Young and conclude with reflections from Kirby Goidel. Young and Goidel are the authors of Nativist Nation: Populism, Grievance, Identity, and the Transformation of American Politics. The discussion by the panel of experts will explore how populist appeals—especially those rooted in grievance and identity—have provided a powerful vehicle for nativist politics, transforming party competition and reshaping democratic politics. 
 
The conference argues that nativism is not a fringe or episodic phenomenon. Instead, it is a recurring feature of democratic politics that often gains force through populist rhetoric dividing “the people” from perceived outsiders and elites. While the specific expression of nativist populism varies across countries, the underlying question—who belongs—remains inescapable. 
 
“As early as the 2016 campaign, we began to recognize that nativism was not a curious sideshow—it was the driver of contemporary politics,” said Cliff Young. “Populist appeals helped translate those sentiments into electoral power, making identity and grievance central to how voters understood the political moment.” 
 
The discussion will also examine how nativist populism continued to shape Republican politics well beyond 2016, with significant consequences for recent electoral outcomes. 
 
“Nativism did not disappear after Trump’s first election—it became more deeply embedded in Republican politics through populist appeals to identity and grievance,” said Kirby Goidel. “At the same time, Democrats—and President Biden in particular—failed to meaningfully address the politics of immigration and belonging. That failure helped create the conditions that made Trump’s 2025 comeback possible.” 
 
Although Nativist Nation focuses on American politics, the public event emphasizes the global relevance of these dynamics. Across democracies, populism has often served as the mechanism through which nativist concerns are mobilized, even as institutional contexts differ. The event will conclude by considering whether immigration stands apart from other polarized issues as one of the few areas where compromise remains possible—even if far from likely.