Abstract
The violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, can easily be viewed as a culmination of serious threats to democracy that have been building in our nation for years. I introduce this volume first by showing that the core challenges to our democracy are not new: public opinion survey data show that, for decades, 25 to 30 percent of Americans promote racial and religious hierarchies, believe conspiracies and misinformation, distrust democratic institutions, and support antidemocratic behavior. I argue, though, that the severity of threats facing American democracy right now are unusually high. This introduction summarizes those threats and some of the findings of the articles within this volume. This volume shows how we came to be at an inflection point in American history, some strategies for creating a safer and more inclusive democratic future, and some reasons for optimism about American democracy.
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