A Mid-Week Mindshare on Democracy
American history, unpacking Trump’s recent claims about immigrants in Ohio, the decision ecology of violence, the effects of political violence on democracies, and a fantastic newsletter.
From Our This is Democracy Archive: Can History Bring Us Together?
This episode, from 2022, centers on an important conversation with Dr. Jill Lepore about her book, These Truths: A History of the United States, and why acknowledging and understanding our country’s true past can unite us.
Her project began with the burdensome realization that there was something fundamentally missing from U.S. history books. A single-authored project like this had not been attempted in generations, especially considering that it wasn’t until after the 1960s that women and people of color started to become part of the academy and enriched the scholarship of American history.
“And what they were interested in was conflict among groups, you know, excavating the history of the group, to which they belonged often, most cases like founding women’s history and black history, Chicano history. And wonderfully excavating archival sources and telling stories that had never been told before, but very much invested in, in that redemptive work.”
“You couldn’t really care about indigenous history and pretend to be writing a national history. Those two things were just opposed to one another, right? Like indigenous peoples in the Americas are their own nations. Like how could you include them? It would just be an act itself of colonization to put them in a national history.”
Thus there was pushback for this sort of sweeping, synthetic history; yet, schools were required to teach it. The materials afforded to them for such were woefully inadequate, and some were even anti-intellectual. A project like this was worth a try for Lepore, it is the kind of work an academic historian should be doing. It’s meant to rekindle a tradition, not be the last word on the subject, especially as we see completely diverging accounts of national history. Optimism became a central tenet of her writing project, and those threads are woven throughout the book.
“[...] history is a body of inquiry that relies on scholarship that is constantly churning and making new discoveries. That’s the piece that is interesting as a matter of pedagogy, right? So crossing a divide is to say, this is a book in which [...] you will find just a very long litany of atrocities and you will also find a tremendous amount of beauty and triumph and invention, um, and, and generosity–the kind of [...] beacon of light that in the brightest of times, the nation has understood itself to be, and its best moral and most moral political actors have in fact been.”
Zachary, Jeremi, and Jill unpack the idea of the vastness of American history paired with its relative newness and smallness in the span of the world, and how modernity can be understood and even evaluated through the lens of a complicated history. Take a listen or read the transcript of This is Democracy – Episode 210: Can History Bring Us Together? from September 2022.
To Read: Understanding the history behind Trump’s recent claims about immigrants in Ohio
Following former President Trump's false claims about Haitian immigrants in a debate with Kamala Harris, including allegations of pet-eating, Springfield, Ohio, faced bomb and shooting threats targeting Haitians. These baseless accusations echo long-standing xenophobic narratives tied to Haiti's history, particularly its 1790s rebellion.
Local institutions were forced to close, while immigrant advocates highlighted the pressure on Haitian women and the economic contributions of immigrants. Scholars and community leaders called for social cohesion to prevent further harm, stressing the enduring impact of anti-Haitian rhetoric in the U.S. Read more here on the narrative that spans centuries and is used as a weapon in political rhetoric.
To Watch: The ecology of decision-making behind political acts of violence
In this captivating Ted Talk, Christiane-Marie Abu Sarah delves into the subtle ways our daily habits contribute to political violence. She argues that small, seemingly benign actions—like passive tolerance of racist jokes or casual stereotyping—slowly erode social cohesion. Abu Sarah, a behavioral historian with firsthand experience, emphasizes how dehumanizing language and unchecked bias can spiral into larger, more violent expressions of division.
With poignant examples from history and personal insight, she illustrates how micro-level behaviors fuel macro-level conflicts. Her core message is clear: societal violence often begins at the individual level. By challenging ourselves to notice and interrupt harmful norms, we can prevent broader, systemic violence. Abu Sarah believes that long-term peace depends on grassroots cultural shifts rather than top-down solutions. The responsibility of fostering peace, she insists, lies in the everyday choices we make. Moreover, she calls for collective vigilance against apathy, as silence in the face of hate can become complicity.
Abu Sarah leaves her audience with a powerful message: peace is not just the absence of violence but the presence of justice and understanding, cultivated by our daily actions. Take a look.
To Listen: Some effects political violence can have on democracy
First, a conversation about the effects political violence can have on democracy. Then, a look at the rise of conspiracy thinking across the political spectrum in response to the attempted assassination of former President Trump and an analysis of the iconic photo of Trump with his fist raised. In a thought-provoking episode of Connecticut Public Radio, scholars delve into the grave impact of political violence on democracy. They argue that democracy’s strength depends on the ability to resolve conflicts through dialogue, not force.
However, as political violence rises, fear becomes a substitute for debate, weakening institutions. The hosts reflect on how fragile democracies, particularly in polarized societies, struggle when violence replaces negotiation. They explore historical parallels, noting how unchecked aggression has historically led to authoritarianism. Leaders must, therefore, champion nonviolent conflict resolution. In closing, they emphasize that democracies must create environments where political disputes are solved through compromise and civil engagement, maintaining democratic values in times of crisis. The episode ultimately offers a clear warning: violence breeds instability, threatening the core principles of democratic governance. Fascinating. Give it a listen.
Another newsletter to keep an eye on: The Forum on Information and Democracy
Earlier this week, the Forum on Information and Democracy’ introduced its latest project series, “Unpacking Current Developments in the Information Space.” This series, crafted in collaboration with their global partners, offers concise analyses to unravel the most recent changes in the global information and communication landscape.
From legislative and regulatory shifts to judicial rulings and tech enforcement, they aim to clarify how these developments impact the information space. If you’re keen on understanding the intricacies of these evolving dynamics, this is an excellent resource.