Listed in: Political Science, as POSC-119
Jonathan M. Obert (Section 01)
[LP, IL, SC] Violence lies at the very heart of both political institutions such as the state, as well as the expression of political beliefs. Focusing on domestic rather than international forms of conflict, this course will address questions of what violence is, how it is organized in society, and what it means to those who use it. We will first identify ways to think about violence as a political activity – why do actors choose violent over non-violent means of resisting governments or expressing dissent? Is violence ever rational? What purposes does it serve? How is violence different from other kinds of political interaction like arguing or debating? Next we will think about how violence is organized – that is, how do political leaders, parties, police forces, and paramilitaries, for example, try to control and manage the use of force? When do private individuals and groups choose to protect themselves and when do they turn to the state? Building on the theoretical interventions of scholars such as Arendt, Weber, Sartre and others, we will use empirical studies of the political use of force from around the world to ask how violence shapes political phenomena such as elections, protest movements, taxation, and nationalism.
Limited to 15 students. Spring semester. Professor Obert.
If Overenrolled: Priority given to Political Science majors needing to fullfill their intro course requirement.
Cost: $19.00 ?
Section 01
Tu 01:00 PM - 02:20 PM CONV 209
Th 01:00 PM - 02:20 PM CONV 209
| ISBN | Title | Publisher | Author(s) | Comment | Book Store | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Violence | Harcourt Brace Javanovich (1970) | Hannah Arendt | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| The Sicilian Mafia : the business of private protection | Harvard University Press (1996 | Diego Gambetta | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Among the Thugs | Vintage (1993) | Bill Buford | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Rise of the warrior cop : the militarization of America's police forces | Public Affairs (2014 | Rodney Balko | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Gang leader for a day : a rogue sociologist takes to the streets | Peguin (2008) | Sudhir Venkatesh | Amherst Books | TBD |
These books are available locally at Amherst Books.