Violence, Politics & Democracy As shocking events in the United States and elsewhere show, political violence is real. The scope of the threat is unclear, as are the motivations that drive people to harm others they disagree with and the effects of such violence on the outcomes of elections and the health of democratic institutions. While media reports convey the sense that incidents of political violence are increasing in frequency and intensity, assessing the actual likelihood of politically motivated acts of physical harm remains challenging, as does determining what to do about such threats. Violence, Politics & Democracy (VPD), a multi-year initiative of The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, aims to examine the threats and root causes that, if left unchecked, have the greatest potential to lead to violence in the US and other democratic systems. Through research, convenings, and publications, VPD will explore these issues and seek to identify ways to preempt and respond to such dangers. Read more about the initiative. Violence, Politics & Democracy ProjectSalzburg Global: Polarization and Violent Threats to Democratic SystemsA new report from Salzburg Global’s Polarization and Violent Threats to Democratic Systems program aims to identify ways to mitigate the threat of political violence and address the dangers that polarization and political violence pose to democratic systems. The report suggests that the greatest dangers to democratic systems emerge when full democracies shift toward “hybrid democracies,” i.e., systems with democratic structures but marked by dysfunction, identity struggles, and intense forms of political competition that undermine democratic processes. Read More Interview SeriesThe Polarization ProjectResearch shows that partisan animosity and threats against public officials are on the rise. For The Polarization Project, HFG Distinguished Fellows of Practice Greg Berman interviews leading scholars and practitioners working to understand how stark political divisions may lead to violence and what to do about it.Interviews‘When People Spend Time Together, They are Less Inclined to See Each Other as the Enemy’: A Conversation with Matt GrossmannApril 15, 2025‘There Are Very Few Democracies That Are as Polarized as We Are Today’: A Conversation with Jennifer McCoyNovember 18, 2024Read All Interviews Speaker SeriesViolence, Politics & Democracy DiscussionsAs part of the Violence, Politics, & Democracy initiative, HFG will host a series of live and virtual discussions with scholars and practitioners to advance understanding of antidemocratic threats in the United States and other mature democracies. On Oct. 17 at 1 pm. ET, HFG welcomes Paul M. Barrett, author of ‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and Violence, to discuss his report and steps that social media companies can take to reduce their contribution to increasing levels of political intimidation and violence across the U.S. and around the world. Discussions‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and ViolenceOctober 17, 2024Watch Video“Democracy Tested: Political Violence and Global Elections”July 23, 2024Watch Video Violence, Politics & Democracy ReportSocial Media and Political Violence ‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and Violence, an HFG-funded report from the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, details how social media use can enable or contribute to political strife. Based on a review of more than 400 social science studies, the report by Paul M. Barrett identifies particular features of social media platforms that make them susceptible to exploitation and suggests how to mitigate the dangers.Read Full Report Violence, Politics & Democracy ReportTrust and Homicide in the USIn Government Legitimacy, Social Solidarity, and American Homicide in Historical Perspective, Randolph Roth, professor of history and sociology at The Ohio State University, argues that shifts in citizens’ beliefs about the legitimacy of their government and the character of political leadership, feelings of affinity for — or alienation from — fellow citizens, and acceptance or resentment of their place in the social order affect the frequency with which Americans kill each other.Read Full Report Welcome to the website of The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Sign up here for Foundation news and updates on our programs and research. Email Address Subscribe By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively.X
A new report from Salzburg Global’s Polarization and Violent Threats to Democratic Systems program aims to identify ways to mitigate the threat of political violence and address the dangers that polarization and political violence pose to democratic systems. The report suggests that the greatest dangers to democratic systems emerge when full democracies shift toward “hybrid democracies,” i.e., systems with democratic structures but marked by dysfunction, identity struggles, and intense forms of political competition that undermine democratic processes.
Research shows that partisan animosity and threats against public officials are on the rise. For The Polarization Project, HFG Distinguished Fellows of Practice Greg Berman interviews leading scholars and practitioners working to understand how stark political divisions may lead to violence and what to do about it.
‘When People Spend Time Together, They are Less Inclined to See Each Other as the Enemy’: A Conversation with Matt GrossmannApril 15, 2025
‘There Are Very Few Democracies That Are as Polarized as We Are Today’: A Conversation with Jennifer McCoyNovember 18, 2024
As part of the Violence, Politics, & Democracy initiative, HFG will host a series of live and virtual discussions with scholars and practitioners to advance understanding of antidemocratic threats in the United States and other mature democracies. On Oct. 17 at 1 pm. ET, HFG welcomes Paul M. Barrett, author of ‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and Violence, to discuss his report and steps that social media companies can take to reduce their contribution to increasing levels of political intimidation and violence across the U.S. and around the world.
‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and ViolenceOctober 17, 2024Watch Video
‘We Want You To Be A Proud Boy’: How Social Media Facilitates Political Intimidation and Violence, an HFG-funded report from the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, details how social media use can enable or contribute to political strife. Based on a review of more than 400 social science studies, the report by Paul M. Barrett identifies particular features of social media platforms that make them susceptible to exploitation and suggests how to mitigate the dangers.
In Government Legitimacy, Social Solidarity, and American Homicide in Historical Perspective, Randolph Roth, professor of history and sociology at The Ohio State University, argues that shifts in citizens’ beliefs about the legitimacy of their government and the character of political leadership, feelings of affinity for — or alienation from — fellow citizens, and acceptance or resentment of their place in the social order affect the frequency with which Americans kill each other.
