Violence as an Epidemic: From Community Harm to War and Authoritarianism with Dr. Gary Slutkin

In this episode, The Burn Bag speaks with Dr. Gary Slutkin, a physician, epidemiologist, former World Health Organization official, and founder of Cure Violence Global, about a provocative idea: what if violence is not simply a problem of crime, morality, or politics, but a contagious epidemic?

Drawing on his decades of work fighting tuberculosis, cholera, AIDS, and community violence, Dr. Slutkin explains how violence spreads through exposure, trauma, social networks, and norms — and how it can be interrupted using tools adapted from public health. We discuss why punishment-first approaches often fall short, how violence interrupters work on the ground, and what this model can teach us about community violence, political extremism, authoritarianism, and war.

At a time when violence is shaping communities, politics, and conflicts around the world, Dr. Slutkin offers a different diagnosis — and a more hopeful path toward prevention.

You can find Dr. Slutkin's book, The End of Violence, here.