Eleanor Finch
Violence is a social phenomenon that is present in all societies, and it is often justified or attributed to individual psychopathology. It is a complex issue influenced by various factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, race, and geographic location. The nature of violence is closely linked to economic and political behavior, with societies limiting violence through political manipulation of the economy to create privileged interests. Collective violence, such as war, terrorism, and violent political conflict, is used to achieve political, economic, or social objectives. Social perspectives on violence focus on the social situation and common experiences to understand why violence occurs in certain circumstances. The control of violence in different types of societies, such as natural, limited-access, and modern open-access societies, offers insights into authoritarianism and transitional violence. Furthermore, the concept of slow violence highlights unseen and unrecognized forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to environmental and social harms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or victims | N/A |
| Social perspectives on violence focus on the social situation and factors that explain why violence occurs more in some circumstances than others | N/A |
| Social theories suggest ways to accomplish behavior change by addressing social phenomena | N/A |
| Violence is justified or attributed to individual psychopathology | N/A |
| Violence in the family environment was seen as a male enforcing a natural rule | N/A |
| Violence in a political context was seen as inevitable in war, revolution, or oppressed people attempting to free themselves | N/A |
| Powerful elites ensure social change happens gradually to maintain their privileges | N/A |
| Violence is seen as a natural response when a social hierarchy is threatened | N/A |
| Children who do not acquire necessary social skills may turn to violence | N/A |
| Collective violence includes war, terrorism, violent political conflict, state-perpetrated violence, and organised violent crime | N/A |
| Sexual violence includes non-consensual sexual contact and non-contact acts like voyeurism and sexual harassment | N/A |
| Child maltreatment and abuse are interconnected with family violence, suicide, crime, and drug and alcohol abuse | N/A |
| There is a disproportionate risk of violence due to inequities in race, socioeconomic status, gender, and location | N/A |
| Social disorganization theory, social and physical disorder, and collective efficacy are theories that highlight the characteristics of residents and neighborhoods as factors contributing to violence | N/A |
| Slow violence refers to unseen and unrecognised forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to environmental and social consequences | N/A |
| Fatalistic normalisation, daunted managerialism, and afflictive condemnation are discursive practices that veil the links between violence and social harm | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
Social perspectives on violence
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or a group of victims. Social perspectives on violence seek to understand the social influences contributing to violent actions, rather than attributing them to individual characteristics. This involves examining the social situation and the factors that contribute to the variation in the frequency and intensity of violence.
Social stability is another important aspect of social perspectives on violence. Powerful elites often work to ensure that social change occurs gradually, maintaining their privileges. Violence may be viewed as a natural response when this social hierarchy is threatened, as seen in incidents like the Watergate scandal and the beating of Rodney King. Additionally, socialization plays a role, as children who do not acquire the necessary skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and manage their lives may be more prone to violence.
Furthermore, social perspectives acknowledge the impact of socioeconomic factors, race, and gender on violence. Certain communities are more vulnerable to violence due to inequities in these areas. This understanding contributes to violence prevention efforts by helping researchers identify indicators and root causes of violence within communities.
The concept of "slow violence" is also relevant to social perspectives on violence. Slow violence refers to unseen and unrecognized forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to environmental and social harms. Discursive practices, such as fatalistic normalization and daunted managerialism, contribute to the continuance of violent systems by hindering awareness of the links between different forms of violence and social harm.
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Violence as a tool for social control
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or victims. Social perspectives on violence seek to understand why violence occurs more in some circumstances than in others, examining the social situation and factors that may contribute to its occurrence.
Violence has been used as a tool for social control and to maintain social order. For example, violence was seen as a natural response to protect societal stability when a social hierarchy was threatened, as in the case of the Watergate incident and the beating of Rodney King. Similarly, violence was justified in the past to maintain the social order within families, with violent males enforcing a perceived natural rule that men should direct the activities of their wives and children. In politics, violence has been seen as inevitable in war and revolution when rulers struggle for resources or when oppressed people attempt to free themselves.
The use of violence to maintain social order can also be observed in historical contexts, such as Anglo-Saxon England and the Carolingian Empire, where violence was deemed essential for maintaining stability. However, the 'right amount' and 'right type' of violence were subjects of debate.
Collective violence, which involves the use of violence by a group against another group or individuals to achieve political, economic, or social objectives, further illustrates how violence can be a tool for social control. This includes war, terrorism, violent political conflict, state-perpetrated violence, and organised crime.
Furthermore, the concept of "slow violence" refers to unseen and unrecognised forms of violence that accumulate over time, resulting in environmental and social harms that are concealed or justified. This can include fatalistic normalisation, where violence is normalised as an inevitable part of a well-functioning system, and daunted managerialism, where harm and violence are presented as necessary for economic development and growth.
In conclusion, violence has been and continues to be utilised as a tool for social control and the maintenance of social order. While perspectives on violence have evolved, it remains a significant issue with complex social determinants that require further study and understanding.
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Violence and social orders in history
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or a group of victims. Social theories suggest that violent behaviour can be changed by addressing social phenomena rather than attempting to alter the individual. In the past, violent acts were integrated into society by justifying the actions or attributing them to individual psychopathology. For example, violence in the family environment was often excused as a natural enforcement of male authority. Violence in a political context was seen as inevitable when rulers struggled over resources or when an oppressed people attempted to free themselves.
Throughout history, violence has been used to maintain social order. In Anglo-Saxon England and the Carolingian Empire, violence was essential to maintaining order, although the 'right amount' and 'right type' of violence were contested. In modern times, the powerful elite ensures that social change happens gradually to protect their privileges, and violence is viewed as a natural response when this social hierarchy is threatened.
The social perspectives on violence focus on the social situation and factors that contribute to its occurrence. These theories suggest that violence is not universal but varies in frequency and intensity depending on the circumstances. By understanding these social influences, we can work towards preventing violence.
The book "Violence and Social Orders" by North, Wallis, and Weingast offers valuable insights into the control of violence in different societies. They propose a framework that integrates the problem of violence into a larger social science and historical context, connecting economic and political behaviour. Their work highlights the differences in managing violence between natural, limited-access societies and modern, open-access societies.
Additionally, the concept of "slow violence" has been introduced to describe unseen and unrecognised forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to detrimental environmental and social consequences. This concept reveals how violent systems are maintained by hindering awareness of the links between different forms of violence and social harm.
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Inequities and violence risk
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or a group of victims. It is not universal but varies in frequency and intensity, depending on the social situation. Social perspectives on violence seek to understand the social influences contributing to it, rather than looking at the individual perpetrator.
Inequities in socioeconomic status, race, gender, and place of residence lead to disproportionate risks of violence for certain communities. For instance, in the past, violent acts by men in the family were justified as enforcing a natural rule that men should direct the activities of their wives and children. Similarly, violence in politics was seen as inevitable when rulers struggled over resources or when an oppressed people attempted to free themselves.
Social theories are useful in suggesting ways to accomplish behavioural change by addressing social phenomena. For instance, children who are not taught the skills to handle interpersonal relationships, manage their lives, and become economically self-sufficient may turn to violence. Social stability is often maintained by a powerful elite who ensure that change happens gradually and does not threaten their privileges. When this social hierarchy is threatened, violence may be seen as a natural response.
The concept of "slow violence" refers to unseen and unrecognized forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to devastating social consequences. Fatalistic normalization, daunted managerialism, and afflictive condemnation are discursive practices that veil the links between different forms of violence and social harm, hindering potential resistance.
In conclusion, the nature of violence is intimately tied to the constitution of the social order. Inequities in socioeconomic status, race, gender, and place of residence lead to disproportionate risks of violence for certain communities. Addressing these social inequities is crucial for violence prevention and the promotion of social stability.
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Violence and social change
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or victims. Social perspectives on violence seek to understand why violence occurs more in some circumstances than in others. Social theories suggest that behaviour change can be achieved by addressing social phenomena rather than attempting to alter the individual.
Historically, violent acts were integrated into society through justification or by attributing them to individual psychopathology. For example, in the family environment, violence perpetrated by men was seen as enforcing a natural rule that men should direct the activities of their wives and children. Violence in a political context, such as war and revolution, was seen as inevitable when rulers struggled over resources or when an oppressed people attempted to free themselves.
In the present day, violence is considered a significant public health problem. Collective violence, for instance, can take many forms, including war, terrorism, violent political conflict, and organised violent crime. It is often used as a tool to achieve political, economic, or social objectives.
Social stability is maintained by a powerful elite who ensure that change happens gradually without threatening their privileges. Violence is viewed as a natural response when this social hierarchy is threatened. For instance, in the case of the highly publicised beating of Rodney King, many people considered such tactics necessary to defend society against internal disruption or external attack.
Additionally, children who do not acquire the necessary skills to handle interpersonal relationships, manage their lives, or become economically self-sufficient may turn to violence. Socialisation plays a crucial role in teaching children the expectations of their social group and helping them acquire the skills to navigate their interpersonal relationships.
Furthermore, the concept of "slow violence" highlights unseen and unrecognised forms of violence that accumulate over time, leading to detrimental environmental and social consequences. This concept involves discursive practices that veil the links between different forms of violence and social harm, hindering potential resistance and transformation.
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Frequently asked questions
Violence is a social phenomenon that requires a victim or a group of victims. It is often used to achieve political, economic, or social objectives.
Violence is a tool used by those in power to maintain control and suppress dissent. It is also used to justify and maintain social hierarchies, with the powerful elite often exempt from the norms of justice that apply to others.
Social situations and shared experiences within groups can influence and justify violent actions. Informal conversations and accounts of personal experiences can shape a group's perspective and contribute to a culture of violence.
Violence is influenced by community characteristics such as demographic traits, social processes, and physical environments. Inequities due to race, socioeconomic status, gender, and location also impact the risk of violence in certain communities.
Violence can be a response to threatened social hierarchies and power structures. It can also be a consequence of social change, as seen in transitional violence during periods of political and economic transformation.
