• DOI:10.2307/2802634
• Corpus ID: 142074767

The Anthropology of violence

@inproceedings{Riches1988TheAO,
  title={The Anthropology of violence},
  author={David Riches},
  year={1988}
}

• D. Riches
• Published 1 December 1988
• Political Science, Sociology

COURSE DESCRIPTION This class presents an upper division introduction to the anthropology of violence. We begin with a brief discussion of the biological basis of aggression and archaeological evidence of past human conflicts. We then discuss three different forms of violence: structural violence (violence imposed by large-scale social structures), symbolic violence (violence inherent in identity politics such as sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, and jingoistic nationalism), and state violence (violence imposed by states on their citizens through counter-insurgency tactics and the organized resistance to these tactics). We end with a discussion of human rights and humanitarianism. Throughout the course, positive alternatives for peace and conflict resolution are presented. Students will have ample opportunities for in-class discussion and debate.