Collective Violence : Harmful Behavior in Groups and Governments

Collective violence_i.e., situations in which people are measurably harmed by the joint contributions of others_has been a pervasive feature of human history. Nevertheless, as bloody as more distant human history has been, many scholars have concluded that the violence of past centuries pales before the violence and murderousness of the present one. This collection presents a range of theoretical and disciplinary approaches to the subject of collective violence. The distinguished contributors investigate the factors that contribute to the social context of violence, and examine the ways of thinking that allow participation in harmful activities. Cross-disciplinary in nature, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sociology, psychology, ethics, criminology, and international affairs.