The topic of guns is pervasive in American politics. It’s also poignant and partisan. So, let’s examine the contentious issue that could potentially determine the outcome of this year’s election.This is a four-part series, breaking down the data, root causes, solutions and political implications of guns and gun violence in America. Read Part 1 here. This is Part 2: Looking at the root causes of gun violence.Jillian Peterson, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University, explained that it’s hard to pinpoint just one root cause for gun violence in the U.S.”It’s a very big, complex question,” Peterson said. “I can talk about it at different levels.”Peterson, who is the co-founder of The Violence Project, a nonprofit violence prevention research center, said that one source of gun violence is the culture around and access to firearms. “We have a long history of that culture of guns. It’s very …