Dr Seraphine F. Maerz

Lecturer, Political Science, School of Social and Political Sciences, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne; Principal Investigator and Project Leader, Smart Authoritarianism, University of Frankfurt; Varieties of Democracy Institute, University of Gothenburg

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A composition shot of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris speaking into microphones on a black background

Politics & Society

Opinion

The words we hear in this US presidential debate have power

Language is the first step in making extreme ideas seem normal. And Donald Trump’s use of illiberal rhetoric should be a warning sign for democracy

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