Around 150 people came to hear historian Professor David Farber talk about American conservatism — and left with rather a lot to think about.

David, a visiting bye-fellow at Selwyn and Roy A Roberts Distinguished Professor Emeritus, traced the journey from Reagan to Trump: from free markets to tariffs, multilateralism to America First, small government to "I alone can fix it." He was as interested in what connects the two presidencies as in what divides them.

One moment landed with particular force during the event on 25 February. Reagan, David noted, signed legislation in 1986 legalising three million undocumented workers — the last major immigration bill the United States has passed. "Today," Professor Farber observed, "it would be considered like communism."

A lively Q&A followed, hosted by Keasbey Research Fellow in American Studies Dr Tom Smith, ranging across the failures of the Democrats, the fracturing effect of social media on political parties, and whether Trump is best understood as a conservative at all.

We are grateful to David for a thought-provoking evening, bringing expert analysis of the world's biggest stories and thought-provoking debate to our community.

A video of the event is available on YouTube by clicking here.

Above: Dr Tom Smith and Prof David Farbar and the some of the audience at the event on 26 February