Apple News In Conversation What we get wrong about political violence in the U.S.
Sep 25, 2025
Sean Westwood, an Associate Professor at Dartmouth College and expert on political violence, discusses the current state of political unrest in the U.S. He emphasizes that most Americans reject violence, despite media narratives suggesting otherwise. Westwood explains how perceptions of increasing violence are skewed by isolated incidents and explores the complex motivations behind attackers. He also argues for the importance of calm discourse, suggesting that promoting constructive leaders and stepping back from divisive rhetoric can help lower political tensions.
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Loud Social Media Voices Distort Reality
- Social media platforms amplify loud voices but do not represent whole parties or the country.
- Relying on viral content gives a false sense of national mood and danger.
Uptick Without Organization
- Political violence is rising in isolated incidents but lacks coordination or hierarchy.
- Lone actors make prevention hard but reduce the risk of an organized assault on democracy.
Attackers Often Ideologically Incoherent
- Many attackers lack clear ideological coherence or manifestos, often showing mental illness.
- That ambiguity makes it hard to predict or profile future political violence.