Political Violence and International Order

Human history is a story of violence and its effects. Scholars have theorized on violence with little agreement. Debates range from definitions of violence to its causes and effects. Scholar or not, every individual has their own conceptualization of violence, which they employ in their daily lives. For many, violence is a harm to be avoided. Depending on the person, this threat can be distant or close. To others, violence is a tool to be used for an objective. Those who use violence intentionally often publicly justify their action. As such, there is a normative element to violence, evidenced in that it is considered something to condemn.Instructor: Samuel Ritholtz