Jan 6, 2023
On the second anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, Horns of a Dilemma features a talk by University of Texas, Austin Professor Jeremi Suri about his new book, Civil War by Other Means: America's Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy. In seeking to understand the events of January 6, 2021, Suri looks to the American Civil War and the period of reconstruction that followed. He finds that, far from being unprecedented, the type of political violence seen at the U.S. Capitol two years ago has deep roots in America's past. Suri's talk is both sobering and hopeful. Although Suri emphasizes some of the most troubling parts of American history, which are often ignored in history texts, he does so in the firm belief that deeper knowledge and better understanding of the roots of today's political violence and intimidation can enable Americans to address the underlying causes, and help to make American society stronger and more just. This talk was given in November 2021 at the University of Texas, Austin.