Is political violence at a tipping point in America? | The Gray Area - October 13, 2025 -

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Sean Illing talks with Barbara Walter, one of the world’s leading experts on violent extremism and domestic terror. She’s the author of How Civil Wars Start, about how democracies unravel from within, and a professor at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy.
Walter talks to Sean about the warning signs she’s seeing in the US, why polarization and party identity become combustible, and what lessons we can draw from other countries. They also discuss what an American civil war might look like in the 21st century, the social and informational dynamics that accelerate breakdown, and whether America still has a path away from the brink.
Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)
Guest: Barbara Walter, professor at UC San Diego and author of How Civil Wars Start
00:00 Intro
01:23 Our political leaders are reacting differently to violence
11:05 Violence is no longer one-sided
17:54 Law enforcement leaders aren't what they used to be
22:12 Where are we on the violence continuum
33:03 The effect of violent rhetoric
38:35 Violence without ideology?
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