Lecture 1

Question 1

Definition of collective violence

Answer 1

Collective violence is violence engaged in by groups to achieve a practical/social/ political aim. The “group”s broadly defined, and can mean either spontaneous groups (crowds) or pre-existing groups, or indeed individuals who act on behalf of groups

Question 2

Which types of violence do you have

Answer 2

Instrumental, Symbolic

Question 3

What is instrumental violence

Answer 3

Goal-oriented, violence to achieve something else

Question 4

What is symbolic/ performative violence?

Answer 4

Violence is a goal itself, it is meant to make a point. (A scenoario is an aim by its own right, to demonstrate that you are powerful/ dangerous)

Question 5

Questions surrounding definitions

Answer 5

CV = violence that a group engages in collectively (e.g. riot), and violence by one or a few people on behalf of a group (e.g. terrorism) and violence where victim is targeted based on group membership (e.g. hate crime)
(last 2 cases, collective element is in the motivations)

Question 6

What are the layers of CV?

Answer 6

Individual: why an individual joins a violent group?
Intra-group: processes within the group that contribute to CV
Inter-group: dynamics between groups that contribute to CV

Question 7

Theories of violence (Zahn et al)

Answer 7

• Mixed picture
• theories of collective violence have lagged far behind psychological, interpersonal and even structural theories of violence
• There is no theoretical consensus of collective violence

Question 8

Belangrijkste punten Zahn et al

Answer 8

1. Geweld theorieën en onderzoek
2. Rol sociale factoren
3. Methoden van geweld onderzoek
4. Data analyse en interpretatie
5. Preventie en interventie
6. Sociale rechtvaardigheid en geweldbestrijding
7. De complexiteit van geweld

Question 9

Disciplinary perspectives

Answer 9

Criminology, sociology, psychology

Question 10

Main distinction

Answer 10

What is violence?
crimi: a type of crime or transgression
socio: a consequence of (unfair) social organisation, lack of control
psych: a type of social behaviour

Question 11

Sociology

Answer 11

Focus on structural, societal, marco processes
When talking about vioelnce: as a (problematic) outcome of macrolevel social relationships
When talking about collective: focus on the collective element

Question 12

Social psychology

Answer 12

Vioelnce as a type of (extreme) social behaviour
Focus on interaction between the individual and the social environment
Focus on collective in the sense of groups, more than insitutions
Focus on violence?: no, instead conflict, aggression, prejudice, discrimination

Question 13

Studyin collective violence

Answer 13

The scientific method relies on using data to build theory and then test / validate that theory. But studying Cv is difficult. You can only study what happend in the past, have to wait until it happens

Question 14

Collective violence good or evil?

Answer 14

Is humanity truly good or evil? Neither (or both): people are social