Dr. Michael Weaver

Biography

Michael Weaver is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. He holds a PhD from Yale University. Weaver's research focuses on political violence, particularly the legitimacy contests involving state and non-state violence, and how public norms evolve to both enable and constrain such violence. His current project is a book that investigates the public acceptability of lynching, arguing that changes in societal inclusivity and publicity impact the criticism and justification of violence. His work extensively utilizes historical newspaper data to uncover the rise and dominance of white supremacist narratives that justified lynching in the aftermath of Reconstruction, shedding light on the critiques leveled against African Americans and their white opponents. Additionally, Weaver explores the implications of ethnic political party elections on violence in countries like India and Indonesia, the influence of military service during the American Civil War on racial attitudes, and the effects of inflammatory political rhetoric on violence. His research has been published in prestigious journals, including the American Political Science Review and the Quarterly Journal of Political Science.

Research Interests

Experience