Barbara Walter

Rohr Professor of International Affairs at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, Barbara Walter is a political scientist whose research focuses on civil wars, violent extremism, and domestic terrorism. She is the author of *How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them*. ([gps.ucsd.edu](https://gps.ucsd.edu/faculty-directory/barbara-walter.html?utm_source=openai))

The 2028 Election Is the Critical Test for U.S. Democracy

Political scientist Barbara F. Walter argues that the United States is becoming more vulnerable to political violence as democracy weakens and political parties increasingly align around racial and religious identity. She expects the November midterms to be relatively peaceful if Democrats win decisively, but says the deeper risk will persist: efforts to hold on to political power could make the 2028 election a more dangerous test of whether American democracy remains competitive.

Financial TimesOct 31, 20269 min read