Barbara Walter is a political scientist and professor at the University of California San Diego who specializes in studying civil wars. Here she joins Braver Angels CMO Ciaran O’Connor for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of political violence in the United States, what America can learn from civil conflicts in other countries, and how we, together as citizens, can take a stand for peace.
Braver Angels Statement on the Assassination of Charlie Kirk
09/11/2025 No Comments
September 10th was a devastating day for our nation. There are no words for the loss of Charlie Kirk. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones. It’s on each of us to stop this dangerous cycle of mutual destruction. No matter where we stand on the political spectrum, here’s what we must do in the wake of this tragedy.
3 thoughts on “How Civil Wars Start — And How to Stop Them | Barbara Walter with Ciaran O’Connor”
Dr Walter commented that the South was better prepared than the North for the American civil war because of the existence of ubiquitous organized militias, mainly in preparation for slave revolts. This seems to bolster the idea that the 2nd Amendment was drafted with that in mind, not to guarantee anyone the right to own hugely destructive firearms
I loved this episode. In my opinion this was the most informative podcast from BA to date. It wasn’t filled with anecdotes presented as fact and there was actual real data to dive into and qualify the stance of the author! There were no conspiracy theories to debunk and Ciaran did an excellent job of representing questions both red and blue factions have. Proud to be a member. We need more of this thank you.
Enjoyed hearing this worry that many of us have explored from a view informed by the past history of many nations.