It’s a contentious time in the U.S., with a pandemic, racial equality, police violence, and a presidential election all occupying people’s attention. Vigilantism is American law enforcementThrough U.S. history, the distinctions between vigilantism and lawful arrest and punishment have always been murky. This follows a long tradition of people of color using private forces to protect themselves and defend their communities. But it is also evidence of the complicated relationship between violence and justice at the core of American democracy. His scholarship centers on American politics and state formation, with a focus on questions related to violence, coercion and conflict, and firearms.