Democracy and Political Violence" applies democratic theory to the problem of creating a liberal democracy in a situation of conflict, violence, and social division. It adopts a distinct perspective: that both community and conflict are at the heart of all but the smallest of democratic societies, and that they need to be reconciled in order for democracy to be successful. The text focuses on national and ethnic conflict, the challenges of terrorism, the problems of cultural division, attempts at creating democracy by imposition, and the question of establishing a common culture of citizenship spanning ethnic and cultural divisions.