NCJ Number
18070
Editor(s)
S M STANAGE
Date Published
1974
Length
268 pages
Annotation
A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS CONCERNED WITH THE WHY, WHEN, AND WHERE OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, STRESSING THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND HISTORICAL ROOTS OF VIOLENCE AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGENTS OF VIOLENCE AND THEIR VICTIMS.
Abstract
THE EIGHT ESSAYS CLEARLY FALL INTO TWO PARTS. PART ONE IS CONCERNED WITH THE LARGER QUESTIONS OF VIOLENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND CULTURE. THE FIRST TWO ESSAYS FOCUS UPON THE BODY POLITIC, UPON THE PROBLEMS OF A CULTURE UNDERGOING AWESOME TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES, AND UPON THE CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE FOR CULTURE, BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW. THE THIRD AND FOURTH ESSAYS TRACE SOME OF THE TRADITIONS OF VIOLENCE THROUGH HISTORY FROM ACCOUNTS FOUND IN MYTHIC AND RELIGIOUS SOURCES, PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVING SATAN. THEY ALSO DRAW HEAVILY UPON SOME OF THE WESTERN LITERATURE OF VIOLENCE AND UPON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERATURE. PART TWO FOCUSES UPON VIOLENCE AND PERSONS AND UPON THE LANGUAGE WE USE AND ABUSE IN SPEAKING OF VIOLENCE, FOR EXAMPLE THE CONCEPTS OF FORCE, POWER, HARM, AND STRENGTH. IT IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE LARGER QUESTIONS OF THE LANGUAGE OF VIOLENCE--QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH CLASSIFYING THE ARTICULATIONS OF KINDS AND DEGREES OF VIOLENCE. ONE OF THE ESSAYS DISCUSSES THE QUESTION OF CONSENSUS AND THE JUSTIFICATION OF FORCE AND ANOTHER EXAMINES SOCIAL FORCE, SOCIAL POWER, AND SOCIAL VIOLENCE. THE FINAL TWO ESSAYS SPEAK TO THE PROBLEMS OF CLASSIFYING VIOLENCE IN WAYS USEFUL FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)