New Books in History Erika Pani, "Torn Asunder: Republican Crises and Civil Wars in the United States and Mexico, 1848-1867" (UNC Press, 2025)
Nov 26, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Erika Pani, a research professor at El Colegio de México specializing in 19th-century Mexican political history, explores the parallel crises faced by the United States and Mexico from 1848 to 1867. She highlights the shared political polarization that led to civil wars in both nations. Pani also contrasts their approaches to reconstruction and state-building, revealing how both republics demonstrated resilience despite their challenges. The conversation provides a captivating look at the lessons of history in today's political climate.
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Polarization Pushed Two Republics Toward War
- Both the U.S. and Mexico experienced political polarization that narrowed common ground and made violence seem inevitable.
- Similar processes of eroding democratic consensus pushed both republics toward civil war despite different central issues.
Different Fault Lines, Similar Breakdowns
- The U.S. conflict centered on slavery and territorial expansion while Mexico's centered on the Catholic Church's role in the republic.
- Different fault lines produced similar breakdowns of ordinary politics and eventual armed conflict.
Failed Regimes Were Serious State Projects
- Confederate and Mexican conservative/imperial governments were serious, internally coherent state-building projects.
- Their leaders sought stability, hierarchy, and order as remedies to perceived republican collapse.
