The Provost’s Readers Meet the Author Series Highlights Luke Winslow’s “Oligarchy in America”

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost will present the second session of this year’s Readers Meet the Author series. Dr. Luke Winslow, Associate Professor of Communication and Director of Communication & International Politics Study Abroad Program, will speak about his new book, “Oligarchy in America: Power, Justice, and the Rule of the Few,” in conversation with Former Editor of The Waco Tribune-Herald, Bill Whitaker. The event will be held in the Schumacher Flex Commons of Moody Memorial Library and available online via Zoom Webinar.

“Oligarchy is a term that most [Americans] associate with other countries,” said Winslow. “But in my book, I explore how oligarchy—the blending together of economic and political power—illuminates some of the most confusing and paradoxical features of American liberal democracy today, including the durable potency of Donald Trump.”

Winslow’s book explains oligarchy’s deep intellectual roots and alarming growth in America. It introduces the concept of democratic oligarchy—an institutional arrangement in which the ultra-rich form a new class by consciously creating and leveraging state power to accumulate wealth. The book was featured in Rolling Stone magazine and won the Book of the Year award for political communication from the National Communication Association.

“Going back and tracing this sort of oligarchic thread from Spencer up to Tucker Carlson shows you the consistency by which the powerful are able to justify their rule based on their unique talents and capacities,” said Winslow.

Winslow earned his doctorate in Communication Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. His current research focuses on rhetorical studies, political communication, and religious rhetoric. Winslow has six books in publication with a seventh one currently in press. He has previously published articles in the Journal of Communication & Religion, the International Journal of Sport Communication, the Western Journal of Communication, and the Review of Communication.

This event is free and open to the public. Following the conversation, there will be a reception with light refreshments and a book signing. At the event copies of, “Oligarchy in America: Power, Justice, and the Rule of the Few,” will be available for purchase.

The Readers Meet the Author Series is presented by the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost and hosted by the Baylor Libraries. The series fosters opportunities for faculty, staff, students, and others to gather for shared reflection and collegial conversation about big ideas.

For more information, visit provost.web.baylor.edu/rma.