My 89 year old Dad watching a clip of me on my International spot with . Can't tell you how special this photo is to me.
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Barbara F Walter
@bfwalter
Bestselling Author, HOW CIVIL WARS START | Identifying the conditions that give rise to modern civil war in order to stop them. Professor.
barbarafwalter.comJoined April 2009
Barbara F Walter’s Tweets
I frequently get angry emails from people saying that the Left is as responsible for the rise of domestic terror as the Right and should be reported this way. That is simply not true and is deeply misleading. Look at the data.
My book hit the ' bestseller list at #4 on Wednesday. I never thought this would be possible and could not have done this without the help of many colleagues, friends, and strangers. Thank you.
You know what the best feeling in the world is? Announcing that the book you poured your heart and soul into goes on sale January 4, 2022.
penguinrandomhouse.com/books/624156/h
Someone just commented that I look like Marjorie Taylor Greene (in my CNN segment) and I have never felt a greater need for a complete make-over. That hurt.
My editor called me yesterday while I was with a student. I didn’t pick up. She called me again and I didn’t pick up. Then she texted me: “CALL ME!!!! I HAVE GOOD NEWS!!!”
The day has finally arrived: my book, How Civil Wars Start, is officially available to the world. It's been an odyssey of research, interviews, & constant writing (and re-writing!,) but I'm so proud of this work & grateful to the many who supported me. fal.cn/3leXe
Pay close attention to what is happening in Tennessee. This is the decline of democracy in real time and the re-assertion of white supremacy. The GOP is acting as if there are no consequences but there are. Vote. Protest. Demand change.
The CIA actually has a Task Force designed to try to predict where and when political instability and conflict is likely to break out around the world. It's just not legally allowed to look at the U.S. That means we are blind to the risk factors that are rapidly emerging here.
People ask me for the easiest way to reduce the risk of political violence in a country. The answer is always the same. Regulate tech company algorithms so they can no longer favor incendiary material. twitter.com/dellcam/status
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If you're concerned that our country is heading toward a second civil war, check out the book I wrote about the warning signs and what we can do to prevent it. It's called How Civil Wars Start and it will be published on Jan 4th, 2022 by . bit.ly/3owvAGY
If you missed it, I was recently interviewed by for a piece in . In it I discuss political extremists, the CIA, and increasing signs of violence here at home. I hope you'll give it a read. fal.cn/3mVX9
The Dobbs ruling exacerbates the 2 conditions that increase a country's risk of political violence. 1. It weakens our democracy by imposing the will of the minority on the majority. 2. It will deepen the urban/rural, red state/blue state, secular/religious divide in this country.
I came across this cart while walking through the Strand Bookstore in Greenwich village and it briefly took my breath away.
Let’s be clear about one thing in Russia: this is not a civil war. The Wagner Group is a mercenary group and mercenaries are simply guns for hire. They fight for whoever is willing to pay them the most. Think about that.
My Dad turned 90 today. Happy Birthday Dad! Please leave him a comment if you can. He will love it.
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The yellow painting I bought from a Dutch man living in Cusco, Peru. He ran an orphanage and in his free time, painted. I asked if I could purchase this one - made from children's paint - from him and he said yes. I bought the other painting from an Indonesian artist.
I read this quote and thought: "Man, that is brave to say in public," and then I realized they were my words from an interview with Damn, I don't mince words.
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Sadly, if we remain ignorant about how power operates in American politics, then people with nefarious purposes will step in and take it away from us. It's why a civics curriculum in schools would create a stronger electorate and lead to greater faith & trust in the system.
Excited to be a #1 Amazon bestseller in the Democracy category. It has always been my hope that this book can help to open our eyes to the current dangers in our political system in order to strengthen its foundations. fal.cn/3ll4F
I talked a little bit about America last night.
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Metrics the U.S. uses to evaluate a nations' proximity to civil war or upheaval show the U.S. itself is "at risk", says Prof @bfwalter @UCSanDiego who studies the issue.
"We all WISH the U.S. was a strong democracy, but the reality is that's not true." Warning signs abound.
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This is a really good summary of my TED talk for those who are interested.
People think ethnic/religious cleansing is always violent. It's not. Govts can cleanse" their territories of people they don't want with oppressive social policies; people they don't want leave. This is part of the strategy of the radical, religious right and Dobbs is part of it.
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My daughter has lived her whole life with my study of civil wars, even enduring trips to former conflict zones like Sri Lanka. She is my greatest joy. How lucky am I to have a family who loves and supports the many crazy things I do.
Politicians have been reluctant to discuss America’s domestic terror problem: They either benefit from such support or worry the political cost of turning on the extremists. We must devote the same resources to finding & neutralizing homegrown combatants as we do to foreign ones.
Thank you Mr. Milbank for this column. I wish I had better news for the world but I couldn’t stay silent knowing what I know. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/
My students know about our country's challenges, and they're inspired & emboldened to do something about them. When I get depressed, I think of them. There is no better place to be than a room filled with a bunch of first-generation students determined to change the world.
The view from my room. is across the street. Dress rehearsal this afternoon. Trying to calm my nerves…
On Tuesday I will be standing on the stage at TED giving a talk about the thing I care about the most: preventing civil wars. Can't wait to immerse myself in the ideas, energy, and creativity. Will pass along the most interesting ones to you...
A partial democracy is 3x as likely to experience civil war as a full democracy. And a country standing on this threshold—as America is now—can easily be pushed toward conflict through a combination of bad governance and increasingly undemocratic measures. bit.ly/3pbBnTO
Political systems matter and some types are more prone to violence than others. All of the democracies that experienced civil war between 1960 and 1995 had majoritarian or presidential systems. None of them were based on proportional representation.
It’s about maintaining power, control, and dominance over women.
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Forced birth in a country with:
—No universal healthcare
—No universal childcare
—No paid family & medical leave
—One of the highest rates of maternal mortality among rich nations
This isn't about "life." It's about control.
I grew up in Yonkers, New York the child of immigrants. The New York Times was devoured by my family every day. I never thought a book of mine would be reviewed there. Thank you for: ‘How Civil Wars Start,’ a Warning About the State of the Union
I’m going to be on CNN around 5:15 ET tonight. Always love talking with but a bonus today to be on with the great
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See you at 5p eastern... joining me to discuss the day's news... @RepZoeLofgren NASA Admin @SenBillNelson @JohnAvlon @MargaretHoover @RonBrownstein Phil Mudd @juliettekayyem @bfwalter Bob Baer @Cirincione - Hope you're having a good Labor Day Weekend.
America's a special country, but we're not immune to conflict. When I would prefer to take comfort in the voice that says, "No, that could never happen here," I think of all that political science has taught me and think, "it can happen here and Americans need to know the facts."
Look what the Carlsbad CA library has deemed Hot. Right. Now. Even in sunny southern California…
Today I spent the whole day doing nothing but driving around in a crappy car with my husband, looking for swimming holes, and it was absolutely fabulous.
Story #2: The photos are of my Mom who grew up on a dairy farm in Switzerland. She died of Covid-related complications last February. I miss her very much.
Please follow me if you would like to continue to receive the content I post on twitter. I will not be paying to be verified and hope to see you all on the other end.
Looking forward to talking with at 4:40 ET today about what a “national divorce” really means.
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Back with you 4-7p eastern today. Joining us to discuss... @AVindman @sethmoulton @repdeluzio @GeneralClark @MondaireJones @WalshFreedom @mgordonwsj @GovGaryLocke @bfwalter @clarissaward @ChloeMelas plus legendary First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams. See you soon.
Don’t know what to say about today except I’m glad I’m on the other side. Will sleep well tonight. Happy to be in the audience tomorrow!
Here are my takes on the good, the bad, and the ugly since January 6, 2021:
The good: Prosecutions of rioters continue to grow and the FBI and the Justice Dept are finally taking domestic terrorism seriously.
Today I found out that agreed to introduce me at TED and I cried. Not because I love her - which I do - but because it was such a pure act of human kindness. ❤️
Bob showed us that you could be both the biggest mind in the room and the kindest and most soft spoken. Oh what a loss. I hope you find your perfect big waves in heaven.
My husband snuck this shot sometime last year. Apparently I was trying to learn how to write better.
I woke up this morning to see that my book, How Civil Wars Start, was shortlisted for the #MoorePrize2022. What an honor to be listed with these brave authors. Thank you - all - for trying to make the world a better, safer place for all human beings.
We're seeing the importance - in real time - of keeping Trump off the major social media platforms. Trump was able to instigate Jan 6 2021 because he had almost 90 million followers on Twitter. Today he only has 2 million active users on his own social media site.
This is the exact definition of “sons of the soil” that I talk about in How Civil Wars Start. And what we know about them is that they are the ones who tend to start civil wars when the system no longer serves them.
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I'm fascinated by the seemingly default assumption (made and propagated on the extreme right) that this is their country and the rest of us have to comply.
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Finally have a chance to respond. I bought this from a Dutch artist who runs an orphanage in Cusco while I was there. It is painted with kids paint - Tempura. I picked it out late one night in a back room of the orphanage. His name is Titus Bovenberg.
Holy shit. One of these years I want to be #1 in Peace and Tranquility.
Whew. Tonight is looking like a big win for democracy and the voice of voters.
Mass killings, like Buffalo, are a tactic of domestic terrorists whose goal is to intimidate people into submission. It is also a form of ethnic cleansing designed to deter minorities from coming to a state and to encourage existing groups to leave.
Today we spread Mom’s ashes in a favorite Torrey Pine grove while wearing her signature necklaces. Happy birthday Mom. We miss you.
It's no coincidence that the armed suspect in Cincinnati targeted the FBI. The first attack in the Turner Diaries - the blueprint for how the far-right should wage war against the US gov't - was against the FBI. It's part of a larger pattern.
Writing a book is a lonely, uncertain experience. It is an act of faith: faith that one has the ability to do justice to the subject. But it's also a collaborative process. From the start, I've been blessed with a loving, supporting family. Thank you for always being by my side.
Hello Twitter, I took a break in July but am now back. Here's one of the things I did last month...
This is what it felt like to finish the first draft of How Civil Wars Start - almost 16 months ago. I can't wait for you all to read it in just two short months. bit.ly/3r06eUE
Those who wage war against their gov't in this century tend to avoid the battlefield; they know they will likely lose in a conventional war. They choose another strategy: guerrilla warfare & terrorism. And, increasingly, domestic terror is aimed at democratic gov'ts like ours.
Here’s a follow-up to the data I posted yesterday which clearly rattled the far-right. via
My parents were Republicans their entire lives - or at least until 2016 when they no longer recognized their party. Thank you and for fighting the good fight and speaking out when so many others are not.
There is a part of me that wishes my book was becoming less relevant over time, not more. Still, thank you . Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape
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The Ugly: far-right extremists are increasingly learning how to subvert our democracy and hold it hostage. We are watching this in real-time in the House of Representatives today.
January 6, 2021 was a gift to the American people. It made it impossible for the country to ignore or deny the cancer that has been growing out of the public eye for years. We can fix this!
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CNN’s Anderson Cooper speaks with Barbara F. Walter, author of “How Civil Wars Start,” about America’s risk of sliding into a modern-day civil war.
“Our democracy has been declining over the last five years,” Walter said.
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I learned an enormous amount about social media from and . Every one of their podcasts at is worth a careful listen. Hope you enjoy the newest one!
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What are the generator functions for civil war in the digital age and how do we prevent them? This week on #YourUndividedAttention, we’re joined by @bfwalter, a leading expert on civil wars, political violence, and terrorism. bit.ly/380hIju
More good news. I should have tweeted this two weeks ago but teaching has been consuming all my time. Short list will be announced on Dec 1. Fingers crossed!
This is a direct quote from the CIA's declassified 2012 Guide to Insurgency listing indicators of an early war: "Insurgents may emphasize highly asymmetric & terrorist tactics, such as kidnappings, small bombings & assassinations...during this phase." Pelosi attack would qualify.
The general consensus is that my book is terrifying. I wish it could have been different and am thinking that my next book should be about butterflies and unicorns.
To fulfill the promise of a truly multiethnic democracy, America must strengthen its democracy and rein in social media, which will help reduce factionalism. This will help avoid political violence and a second civil war. fal.cn/3m3TY
Born to European immigrants who lived through WWII, my dinner table was often a place for conversation about history & politics. These talks informed me and, ultimately, emboldened my pursuit of preventing political violence. It's the same concept I try to bring to my classroom.
THANK YOU for naming How Civil Wars Start its 2022 Book of the Year. This is an enormous honor and it takes my breath away.
I recently had the opportunity to join on 's new series, "A House Divided". If you haven't already, I invite you to listen to our conversation.
Back in 2014, I was commissioned by the World Bank to study the conflict trap. I looked at all civil wars between 1945 & 2009, and what I found was this: Most countries that were able to avoid a second civil war shared an ability to strengthen the quality of their governance.
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Is America at risk of another civil war? Author of “How Civil Wars Start” @bfwalter has studied civil wars internationally for years, and now warns “those same factors are emerging here in our country at a surprisingly fast rate.”
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Jonathan Stevenson & have it exactly right. Violent extremists won't go away if we don't talk about them. That's what they're hoping we will do. We Need to Think the Unthinkable About Our Country
Yes. Yes. And yes. As long as we keep labeling these “lone wolf” attacks we will never see that they are all part of the same movement. via
I couldn't have written How Civil Wars Start without the research of leading thinkers on armed conflict. I've compiled some of those top experts, thought leaders, and individuals covering armed conflict’s origins & solutions to share with you as well.
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Weak democracy is one of the risk factors of cont'd political instability & violence. Until we eliminate the un-democratic features of our gov't (gerrymandering, filibuster, electoral college, voter suppression, election of Senators, superPACS&big donors) the risk continues.
I almost didn't post this interview because the drawing makes me look like a middle-aged mom, but I am a middle-aged mom.
Every American should read this article to understand EXACTLY how democracy is being stolen in front of our eyes by right-wing extremists.
Many of you have asked what actions the average American can take to help bolster our democracy and prevent the various types of civil conflict. If you're interested, 's recently shared a "citizen's guide" to doing just that.
It's been nearly 6 weeks since How Civil Wars Start published. During this time, I've talked with citizens worried about their country, journalists intent on trying to save American democracy, and media analysts determined to get the word out.
There are many backstories to the photo of my Dad. One is: he was born in Germany in 1932 and lived through Hitler and WWII. In 2016, I wrote a blog post about his rising fear of what he was seeing in America. Why my German-Born Dad is Terrified of Trump
TED has a coach to help people with their speaking. I thought I would pass along some of her advice. 1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Practice in different venues. In front of different people. Do this until the words come out naturally...
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When my friends found out that my book hit the bestseller list the best response was from JudyBeth: “Suck it Matthew McConaughey.” Love her!
