52 min listen
Understanding — and addressing — domestic terrorism
FromDemocracy Works
ratings:
Length:
36 minutes
Released:
Mar 8, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
When the social fabric and institutions the hold a democracy together are weakened, it can create a breeding ground for extremism that radicalization that might eventually lead to acts of domestic terrorism like the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It's a vicious cycle — weaker democracy breeds more distrust which leads to more extreme actions. As Anne Applebaum reminded us last week, democracy is not inevitable and takes hard work to sustain. This week, we break down what domestic terrorism is and how it largely spread unnoticed for much of the 21st century while the focus was on international terrorism after 9/11. Our guest is James Piazza, Liberal Arts Professor of Political Science at Penn State and an expert on the study of terrorism, including its socioeconomic roots, the role of minority rights, and state repression of terrorist activity. Piazza talks about why it seems to have taken so long for the U.S. to recognize domestic terrorism as a threat and what 20 years of studying international terrorism can teach us about radicalization and deradicalization.Additional InformationPiazza's websitePiazza in The Conversation on hate speech and political violenceMcCourtney Institute Mood of the Nation Poll on trust in the FBI
Released:
Mar 8, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
A democracy reading list: If you’ve been to a book store or the library lately, then you’ve probably seen at least a few books on democracy on the shelves. The 2016 presidential election spurred a lot of conversation about the current state of our democracy and where things go from here. These books are not what most people would … Continue reading A democracy reading list → by Democracy Works