Donovan O. Schaefer is assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, which he joined in 2017 after three years as a lecturer at the University of Oxford. His first book, Religious Affects: Animality, Evolution, and Power (Duke University Press, 2015) considered the relevance of affect theory for questions of religion, politics, and subjectivity.
Why does Trump’s face matter? Why does Trump—a world-class performer and master of the craft of showmanship—practice shaping his face? What does his face do? Is Trump’s face part of his power?