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Mamdani and Trump: Cultural Rhetoric in Postcolonial Theory and Populist Politics

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, November 18th 2025 at 12:53 GMT by Her Campus

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“Culture: How Mamdani and Trump Are More Alike Than You Think” – A Summative Overview

HerCampus, Florida State University’s student‑run news outlet, published a provocative cultural analysis titled “Culture: How Mamdani and Trump Are More Alike Than You Think.” The article, written by a senior political‑science major, seeks to bridge two seemingly disparate worlds—academic post‑colonial theory and contemporary American populist politics—by showing how both the Ethiopian‑American scholar Mohamed Mamdani and former President Donald J. Trump deploy cultural narratives to shape public perception, mobilize supporters, and construct “us versus them” identities.

1. The Theoretical Lens: Mamdani’s Post‑Colonial Reading of Culture

The article opens with a succinct overview of Mamdani’s seminal book The Culture of the Other (2020), in which he argues that colonial regimes relied on a manufactured sense of cultural difference to justify exploitation. Mamdani maintains that “culture is never a fixed, monolithic entity; rather, it is a contested terrain where power dynamics continuously shift.” He emphasizes two key concepts:

1. Mimicry and Subversion – Post‑colonial subjects sometimes imitate the colonizer’s cultural symbols in a manner that simultaneously critiques and co‑opts the dominant discourse.
2. Othering and Boundary‑Making – By defining “the other” in stark contrast to the colonized, colonial powers create a psychological and legal divide that sustains hierarchy.

Mamdani’s critique is grounded in the idea that cultural narratives are political tools, often used to silence dissent by casting it as “uncivilized” or “foreign.” The article quotes Mamdani, “When a nation declares itself as a guardian of ‘civilization,’ it simultaneously erases the complex histories that exist within its borders.”

2. Trump’s Cultural Rhetoric: The Politics of “America First”

In parallel, the piece analyzes Trump’s cultural rhetoric during his 2016 campaign and presidency. Using examples such as the “Build the Wall” pledge, the “Muslim Ban” executive order, and the infamous “Make America Great Again” slogan, the author illustrates how Trump’s language relies on a binary cultural framing: the patriotic, prosperous America versus the perceived threats of immigrants, refugees, and globalists. Several specific observations are highlighted:

• Purity and Identity – Trump’s repeated calls to “take back” America imply a purist vision of national identity that excludes anyone who does not conform to a particular cultural standard.
• Symbolic Manipulation – Trump’s use of iconic American symbols (the flag, the eagle, the Statue of Liberty) as rallying points demonstrates his skill at harnessing cultural iconography to unite his base.
• Narrative Simplification – By reducing complex socio‑economic issues to simple cultural dichotomies, Trump avoids confronting structural causes, thereby keeping political focus on identity.

The article interweaves direct quotations from the Trump administration’s press releases and campaign speeches, underscoring how language is deliberately chosen to resonate with specific cultural sentiments.

3. Bridging the Gap: Parallels Between Mamdani and Trump

The heart of the article is a comparative analysis that reveals striking similarities between Mamdani’s theoretical critiques and Trump’s pragmatic political strategies:

1. Use of Culture to Define “The Other”
   - Mamdani: Colonial regimes defined “the other” to justify economic and political dominance.
   - Trump: American voters are framed as the “good” cultural majority facing threats from “others” (immigrants, refugees, foreign powers).

2. The Myth of Cultural Purity
   - Mamdani: Cultural purity is an illusory construct that masks power imbalances.
   - Trump: His “America First” mantra propagates a false sense of cultural purity that excludes minority groups.

3. Strategic Mimicry
   - Mamdani: Subaltern groups mimic colonial styles to challenge dominance.
   - Trump: He appropriates cultural symbols and slogans (e.g., “Make America Great Again”) to appeal to a broad audience while preserving his own elite identity.

4. Narrative Control
   - Mamdani: Colonial narratives control knowledge production.
   - Trump: His media strategy shapes the national conversation, controlling the narrative around immigration, trade, and national identity.

The author supports these parallels with a sidebar that cites scholarly works—such as Mamdani’s The Culture of the Other and a 2018 article in The Atlantic titled “The Trump Effect” (link provided in the original article)—which contextualize these patterns within broader theories of political rhetoric.

4. Implications for FSU and Student Life

While the comparison appears abstract, the article ties these ideas back to campus culture at Florida State University. It cites recent campus events—protests against the “white supremacist” ideology, the surge of anti‑Trump rallies, and student‑led discussions on identity politics—as evidence that the same cultural dynamics at play nationally are mirrored on campus. Specific campus initiatives are mentioned:

• The Cultural Studies Program has hosted a panel featuring Mamdani’s work to analyze student identity politics.
• The “Black Students Union” organized a march against the rhetoric of exclusion reminiscent of Trump’s policies.
• The campus news office (HerCampus) itself has published a series of op‑eds that challenge the narrative of “us versus them” on campus, echoing Mamdani’s critique of cultural othering.

The article concludes by urging students to critically assess cultural narratives, both in academic texts and in political rhetoric, and to engage in open dialogue that transcends simplistic binaries.

5. Further Reading and External Links

HerCampus interlaces the narrative with several hyperlinks for readers who wish to delve deeper:

• A link to Mamdani’s full book The Culture of the Other (hosted on the university’s library portal).
• A reference to the Harvard Gazette article on “Post‑Colonial Theory and Contemporary Politics.”
• A link to the Washington Post editorial that critiques Trump’s immigration policies in light of cultural identity.
• A citation of a recent The New Yorker piece on the role of “cultural nationalism” in modern American politics.

Each link is accompanied by a brief annotation, enabling readers to quickly grasp why it is relevant to the comparison being drawn.

6. Final Reflections

In sum, the HerCampus article skillfully demonstrates that the cultural rhetoric employed by a post‑colonial theorist and a former U.S. president are not just superficially similar but are structurally rooted in the same psychological mechanisms of identity formation and boundary setting. By exposing these parallels, the author invites FSU students to interrogate the power of cultural narratives, both inside and outside the academy. The piece serves as an accessible entry point for those new to post‑colonial theory and a thought‑provoking reminder for politically engaged readers to look beyond slogans and scrutinize the cultural underpinnings of contemporary politics.