We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
Political scientist and author Yascha Mounk joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to discuss his latest book, “The Identity Trap" and his concerns about the contemporary “woke” ideology coming from the progressive left. A counter-production obsession with group identity in all forms, he argues, has taken hold of mainstream institutions in areas like education and healthcare.
“Rather than asking for true inclusion in shared institutions,” Mounk says, “[Progressive activists] reject that universalist heritage and want to make how we treat each other explicitly depend on the kind of identity groups of which we're a part.”
Mounk dives into the complicated and contentious issue of identity politics and challenges the conventional wisdom that they lead to a more equitable society. By emphasizing the differences between individuals rather than shared values, Mounk explains, identity politics exacerbate societal divisions and hold our society back from making real progress toward equality.