SOC40720

This module aims to explore the key issues and analytical approaches in the study of organised violence. The focus is on the macro historical and the micro sociological contributions to the study of violent action. The module will examine the key theoretical and empirical studies on violence and provide a thematic and critical survey of up-to-date sociological research on warfare, revolutions, terrorisms, insurgencies, paramilitarism, colonial violence, genocide, and other violent phenomena. Furthermore, this module will seek to analyse the complex and contradictory relationships between organised violence and broader social cleavages including the links between nationalism, religion, social stratification, gender, ethnicity and the violent social action.