In recent years, the US has experienced a rise in politically motivated violence targeted at politicians at all levels of government as well as poll workers, political activists, and even members of the public. The purpose of this event is to explore the causes and consequence of modern political violence in American politics. We will hear from two political scientists with expertise in public opinion and political psychology as we delve into the following questions. How is political violence different from other forms of violence and what are its causes? How does political violence relate to political polarization, negative partisanship, and political tolerance? How does modern political violence compare to historical political violence? Most importantly, what can individuals and communities do to address and prevent further political violence in the future?

Dr. Alexandra Filindra is a Professor of Political Science and Psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago. She specializes in American gun politics, immigration policy, race and ethnic politics, public opinion, and political psychology. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Politics, Political Behavior, Policy Studies Journal, Regional Studies, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, Harvard Education Review, Migration Studies, International Migration, and other scholarly journals.

Dr. John Transue is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Springfield. His research primarily involves social identity, public opinion, political participation, and the relationships between political events and financial markets. His research has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Psychology, Annual Review of Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and Public Opinion Quarterly.