The events of January 6, 2021, raised several questions about whether democracy in the United States is backsliding. With domestic extremism on the rise and polarization deepening, the nation’s society is fragile and, thus, requires a framework that can provide the breadth and depth necessary to examine these core issues. This thesis aims to explore the relationship between societal fragility—social norms, institutions, trust, and social cohesion—and extremism. It examines democracy, extremism, and then fragility, including current frameworks and their limitations in applicability to a nation such as the United States. Based on these examinations, the societal fragility framework, along with its core components, was established. Using a case study analysis, the thesis examines the January 6 events in the United States and the 2022 presidential election in Brazil through the societal fragility lens, as both case studies present high levels of extremism and political violence. This thesis finds that societal fragility creates an environment that fosters extremism. It recommends that democracies prioritize rebuilding a culture of tolerance within society as well as institutional trust through transparency and accountability. Furthermore, by implementing methods to hold political leaders accountable for their use of undemocratic rhetoric, democracies can improve societal fragility and minimize the growth of extremism.Civilian, Gainesville Fire RescueApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
