Gibson2018

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Gibson2018
BibType INCOLLECTION
Key Gibson2018
Author(s) David R. Gibson
Title The micro-foundations of macro-violence: how heads of state justify the use of force
Editor(s) Elliott B. Weininger, Annette Lareau, Omar Lizardo
Tag(s) EMCA, Violence
Publisher Routledge
Year 2018
Language English
City New York, NY
Month
Journal
Volume
Number
Pages 179–208
URL
DOI
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title Ritual, Emotion, Violence: Studies on the Micro-sociology of Randall Collins
Chapter 6

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Abstract

Randall Collins’ Violence: A Micro-Sociological Theory (2008) is about the psychological difficulty of physically aggressing against another human being, especially when that person can be looked in the eye. For violence to occur, this “confrontational tension/fear” has to be overcome or circumvented, and it is his task to identify techniques for doing this in a book that spans many forms of violence, including that perpetrated by mobs, police, soldiers, criminals, and abusive spouses. We can, for example, train for violence so that it is an engrained reaction. We can kill from a distance. We can focus on the audience, team members, rules and etiquette, or technique. We can take someone by surprise so as not to have to look them in the eye before knocking them on the head. We can also be overcome by emotion, such as that which accumulates in the course of an extended chase, until it comes spilling out in a frenzy of violence against the cornered victim (or some proxy).

Notes