Skip to main content
Centers for Violence Prevention
UC Davis Logo
UC Davis Logo
Site Logo
Centers for Violence Prevention
  • Connect With Us
  • Make a Donation to CVP
Main navigation (extended config)
  • Home
  • About
    • Core Values and Practices
    • Our Team
  • What We Do
    • Research and Data
    • Education and Training
    • Community Engagement
    • Policy Development
  • News and Insights
    • Latest News
    • Insights Blog
    • Sign Up for our Newsletter
  • Get Involved
    • Apply for a Grant
    • Join Our Team
    • Support Our Work
    • Connect With Us
  • Resource Library

Political Violence

While most Americans flatly reject political violence, a small but concerning minority of Americans support it, posing a serious threat to society. Our research highlights specific risk factors and corresponding opportunities for intervention and prevention.

The Life in America Survey

In 2022, we launched the Life in America Survey, an annual, nationally representative survey to study political violence as a public health issue. The Life in America Survey is among the first to explore personal willingness to engage in specific political violence scenarios. It asks about motivations or justifications for the use of force or violence; different types of violence ranging from damaging property to threatening, injuring, or killing a person, including with the use of a firearm; and potential targets of violence, including community members, civil servants, and leaders.

Latest Research

Research

Life events and change in support for political violence in the United States

Findings from a 2023 nationally representative survey
Wintemute GJ, Robinson SL, Crawford A, Tomsich EA, Wright MA, Pear VA, & Shev AB

About the PaperFINDINGS IN BRIEF








A visual abstract for the preprint version of this paper is available in our visual abstract archive.…

Political Violence

Research

Militancy in the military

Military service and support for political violence and right-wing extremism
Tomsich EA & Wintemute GJ

About the Study









Click the image or link to read the paper.

IN ONE SENTENCEWhile some modest differences emerged between military and…

Political Violence

Research

The MAGA movement and political violence in 2024

Findings from a nationally representative survey
Wintemute, GJ, Velasquez, B, Robinson, S, Tomsich, EA, Wright, MA, Shev, A

AbstractFINDINGS IN BRIEF








A visual abstract for the preprint version of this paper is available in our visual abstract archive.

More…

Political Violence

Latest News & Insights

People storming the U.S. Capitol On January 6, 2021
News

New study looks at attitudes towards political violence

November 15, 2024

A small segment of the U.S. population considers violence, including lethal violence, to be usually or always justified to advance political objectives. This is according to newly published research…

Political Violence
Screenshot of KCRA news interview with Garen Wintemute
News

KCRA interviews Garen Wintemute after Donald Trump's attempted assassination

October 07, 2024

There are growing concerns about political violence after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.In this interview with KCRA's Brittany Hope, Dr. Garen Wintemute…

Political Violence
CVP logo placeholder image

Opinion: Don’t underestimate threats of violence from Proud Boys and other right-wing groups

September 20, 2024

“Remember during the 2020 presidential race when Donald Trump refused to disown right-wing violent extremists, instead telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”? We might now know what they…

Political Violence
CVP logo placeholder image

Could political violence determine the outcome of this year’s elections?

June 21, 2024

It’s an election year. Donald Trump and other Republican Party leaders have refused to commit to accepting November’s results. Trump has referred to those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as “…

Political Violence
CVP logo placeholder image

The difference between Republicans and MAGA Republicans is violence

November 13, 2022

Experts in many fields — domestic violent extremism, civil conflict, democracy studies — are concerned about the likelihood that political violence will soon break out in the United States. Nearly 90…

Political Violence

About

  • Centers for Violence Prevention
  • Our Team

What We Do

  • Research and Data
  • Education and Training
  • Community Engagement
  • Policy Development

News and Insights

  • Latest News
  • Insights Blog

Get Involved

  • Apply for a Grant
  • Join our Team
  • Support Our Work
  • Contact Us
UC Davis footer logo

University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 | 530-752-1011

  • Questions or comments?
  • Privacy & Accessibility
  • Principles of Community
  • University of California
  • Sitemap
  • Last update: December 5, 2024

Copyright © The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. All rights reserved.

This site is officially grown in SiteFarm.