Collective Violence: Harmful Behavior in Groups and Governments [Paperback]

Craig Summers (Editor), Eric Markusen (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0847688143 | ISBN-13: 978-0847688142 | Publication Date: September 1, 1999

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A well-sequenced offering on a highly significant topic. . . . An important contribution to a domain of very substantial interest to several disciplines. (Arnold P. Goldstein )

About the Author

Craig Summers is associate professor of psychology at Laurentian University. His articles have appeared in many journals, including The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Ethics and Behavior, and Behavorial and Brain Sciences.

Eric Markusen is professor of sociology and social work at Southwest State University, Minnesota. He is the co-author, with David Kops, of The Holocaust and Strategic Bombing: Genocide and Total War in the Twentieth Century (Westview) and with Robert Jay Lifton of The Genocidal Mentality: Nazi Holocaust and Nuclear Threat (Basic Books).

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847688143
• ISBN-13: 978-0847688142
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,845,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)