Brown professors offer opinions on presidential election

Several Brown University professors recently gave their opinions about the election.

These staff members included Rose McDermott, professor of international relations; James Green, professor of Latin American history; and Mark Blyth, professor of political economy and political science.

“I think in the wake of such a rancorous and divisive campaign, and such a close election, the new U.S. president’s main task must be to try to bring the country together,” McDermott said. “The tone of the campaign has been so hostile and negative on both sides that bridging the ideological gap in the country may prove more difficult than in the past.”

“As we have now learned, it is quite hard to predict U.S. presidential politics these days,” Green said. “Suggesting the immediate agenda of the president-elect seems a rather futile task, as nothing is likely to be as one might imagine.”

“Trump versus Clinton: the brash outsider -- or the sexist, racist reality star, if you prefer -- versus the experienced policymaker -- or criminal, Wall-Street-loving one percenter, if you prefer,” Blyth said. “Now we know what happened, what happens next? The list of what they should try to do during the first 100 days is endless.”