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Sociology Of Violence

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Aggression and war typically are not seen in various forms. One could argue that war is not always where violent acts are seen, in the sense of cold wars, so it is can also be said to be a stage for aggressive, rather than violent, acts. However, violence has multiple variations including: mental violence, symbolic violence, and lastly as studied, political violence, that cultural anthropologists have significantly improved the understanding of. Before delving into the different categories of violence, it is important to understand that the uses of violence also vary. When examining violence, it is crucial to discern the action from the perspective of the perpetrator. (Hansen, 367) As seen in Riches’ dynamic triangle of violence, those who …show more content…

Yet, violence does not need to be a physical act, it can also be mental or symbolic. This is someone’s ability to maintain a permanent hold on another person based on economic or practical commitments. (Hansen, 369) Many scholars will find this does not classify being labeled as violence. However, symbolic violence is something that is consistently seen in states. Symbolic violence is an important tool commonly used by states in the ordering of relationships of superiors and inferiors. States are able to justify their infliction of terror by saying their own actions are just a reaction to the symbolic violence that is implicit in opposition. (Nagengast, 111) This is where we begin to see the topic of political violence finally discussed. First and foremost, it is important to clarify that political violence may or may not be direct violence. (Nagengast, 114) A state may take actions such as limiting food sent to poorer people, hurting their chances of survival without actually physically hurting them. State violence can be referred to by using the term ‘terror.’ Terror is used by the states in order to maintain the status

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