Matthew C. MacWilliams
Dr. Matthew C. MacWilliams is the Global Public Opinion Lead of the Foundation International Communications Hub (Comms Hub), an organization dedicated to the furtherance of civil society and democracy around the globe. Dr. MacWilliams is also, a Non-Resident Fellow at the German Marshall Fund and a Senior External Adviser to European Movement International in Brussels.
In 2016, before a vote was cast in the presidential primaries, Dr. MacWilliams warned Americans that his polling revealed Donald Trump's activation of authoritarians would make Trump's candidacy for the Republican nomination for president -- and the presidency itself -- virtually unstoppable.
His articles on Trump in Politico (2016 and 2020), the London School of Economics blog, and VOX sparked an international media debate that contributed to the framing of Trump and his tactics as authoritarian. His work was cited by leading media around the world including CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Washington Post, Newsweek, New York Times columnist David Brooks, NPR, CBC, The Atlantic, and Der Spiegel.
St. Martins Press published his recent book on democracy and authoritarianism in the United States -- On Fascism: 12 Lessons from American History. Praising the book, Dr Laurence Tribe, Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School, wrote: "The twelve lessons On Fascism draws from American history brilliantly complement those of Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny."
Recent articles include the threat to democracy in Europe and the United States of demographic succession that appeared in PoliticoEU and on the German Marshall Fund site.
The Amherst College Press, Praeger Publishing, Political Science Quarterly, PS: Political Science and Politics, and the Academy of Political Science have published peer-reviewed articles of his work on democracy, polarization, and authoritarianism. Through speeches, presentations, and lectures Dr. MacWilliams has presented his work on the increasing activation of authoritarianism and falling support for democracy, and its implications for the future of democracy, to elected officials and civil society leaders and activists across the United States, Europe, Ukraine, and Eurasia. He also appears in the documentary #UNTRUTH.
Dr. MacWilliams earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Massachusetts where he was a Visiting Research Associate and lectured on democracy and participation in the international Civic Initiative program. His B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa) was earned at the University of Pennsylvania where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar.
Through surveys and focus groups, Dr. MacWilliams has examined the roots of democratic deconsolidation and rise of illiberal politics in the United States and countries across Europe and Eurasia. He has conducted quantitative and qualitative research exploring this question in over 25 nations including the United States, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Armenia, and Spain.
His studies have tested a wide range of explanations for the rise of illiberalism among citizens, including populism, hostile sexism, nationalism, ideology, globalism, inconsistent support for democracy and institutions, and authoritarianism. Most of his work has concluded that populism is not the main dispositional driver behind the rise of illiberal politics. Instead, authoritarianism -- activated by elite rhetoric, threat, and fear -- and increasing democratic deconsolidation appear to be the common factors correlating with the emergence of political extremism in Europe and the United States.
In 2016, before a vote was cast in the presidential primaries, Dr. MacWilliams warned Americans that his polling revealed Donald Trump's activation of authoritarians would make Trump's candidacy for the Republican nomination for president -- and the presidency itself -- virtually unstoppable.
His articles on Trump in Politico (2016 and 2020), the London School of Economics blog, and VOX sparked an international media debate that contributed to the framing of Trump and his tactics as authoritarian. His work was cited by leading media around the world including CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Washington Post, Newsweek, New York Times columnist David Brooks, NPR, CBC, The Atlantic, and Der Spiegel.
St. Martins Press published his recent book on democracy and authoritarianism in the United States -- On Fascism: 12 Lessons from American History. Praising the book, Dr Laurence Tribe, Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School, wrote: "The twelve lessons On Fascism draws from American history brilliantly complement those of Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny."
Recent articles include the threat to democracy in Europe and the United States of demographic succession that appeared in PoliticoEU and on the German Marshall Fund site.
The Amherst College Press, Praeger Publishing, Political Science Quarterly, PS: Political Science and Politics, and the Academy of Political Science have published peer-reviewed articles of his work on democracy, polarization, and authoritarianism. Through speeches, presentations, and lectures Dr. MacWilliams has presented his work on the increasing activation of authoritarianism and falling support for democracy, and its implications for the future of democracy, to elected officials and civil society leaders and activists across the United States, Europe, Ukraine, and Eurasia. He also appears in the documentary #UNTRUTH.
Dr. MacWilliams earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Massachusetts where he was a Visiting Research Associate and lectured on democracy and participation in the international Civic Initiative program. His B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa) was earned at the University of Pennsylvania where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar.
Through surveys and focus groups, Dr. MacWilliams has examined the roots of democratic deconsolidation and rise of illiberal politics in the United States and countries across Europe and Eurasia. He has conducted quantitative and qualitative research exploring this question in over 25 nations including the United States, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Armenia, and Spain.
His studies have tested a wide range of explanations for the rise of illiberalism among citizens, including populism, hostile sexism, nationalism, ideology, globalism, inconsistent support for democracy and institutions, and authoritarianism. Most of his work has concluded that populism is not the main dispositional driver behind the rise of illiberal politics. Instead, authoritarianism -- activated by elite rhetoric, threat, and fear -- and increasing democratic deconsolidation appear to be the common factors correlating with the emergence of political extremism in Europe and the United States.
