Insurrection: What the January 6 Assault on the Capitol Reveals about America and Democracy

A profound analysis of the factors underlying the 2021 invasion of the US Capitol, arriving as the nation looks ahead to another tumultuous presidential election in 2024.
 
Insurrection offers a profound and incisive analysis of the underlying factors that culminated in the assault on Washington, DC’s Capitol Building on that fateful day: January 6th, 2021. Going far beyond mere journalistic accounts, the book delves into structural trends within the United States, providing a broader and deeper context for comprehending the magnitude of the uprising. It explores the crisis of democracy, escalating violence, widening inequality, and the prominence of conspiratorial discourse within American politics. By examining both long-term issues as well as the tumultuous events of 2020, including the pandemic, policing challenges, and the fiercely contested presidential election, this book uncovers the catalysts behind conspiracy theories and the politics of outrage. This compelling narrative is essential reading for all those interested in the contemporary face of the United States.

John Rennie Short is professor emeritus at the School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His many books include The Urban Now: Living in An Age of Global Urbanism.