Francis Fukuyama coined “the politics of resentment” to describe the rise of divisive identity politics that undermine liberal democracies’ universalism, as identity groups around the world seek recognition in increasingly divided societies. This lack of societal acknowledgement breeds resentment which political leaders can mobilize to combat perceived—and in some instances, real—affronts to a group’s dignity. This report demonstrates that identity and resentment are powerful forces in contemporary international affairs, capable of entrenching societal cleavages and intractable conflict within and between countries. These dynamics manifest in democratic contexts where extremist parties appropriate popular resentment to subvert democratic institutions, and beyond the democratic world, where illiberal leaders cultivate victimization narratives to unify their constituents against a
foreign adversary.
Traditional conceptions of interests and power in international relations center on political, economic, and security concerns. It is imperative that foreign-policy practitioners appreciate that resentment—and more broadly, identity—drives human behavior at the individual, collective, and state levels. An identity-based perspective, in a departure from conventional statecraft, would yield critical insights about how communities and states construct their interests and help craft a strategy toward preserving the liberal world order.