Researching Class Researching Society & Culture Week 7 Dr Alice Mah.
The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention
description
Transcript of The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention
![Page 1: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention
Greg Malszecki, Ph.DLaMarsh Research Centre on Violence & Conflict Resolution
&School of Kinesiology & Health Science in the new
Faculty of Health, York University
![Page 2: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Forms of Violence in Interpersonal Conflicts, Militarism, Eco-killing
• “Violence is the antithesis of creativity and wholeness. It destroys community and makes humanity impossible.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “There can be no peace as long as there is grinding poverty, social injustice, inequality, oppression, environmental degradation, and as long as the weak and small continue to be downtrodden by the mighty and powerful.”---Dalai Lama
![Page 3: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
What is Violence?• Use of physical force to hurt, damage, or kill a
person, persons, property, communities, or earth• Domestic violence of spouse, children, family,
elders either physical/sexual abuse• Interpersonal violence in schools, sports, dating,
assault, rape, murder, war, ethnic cleansing• Corporate violence on workers, people, ecology• Political violence of sexism/racism, policing,
ethnic cleansing, genocide, and war• continuum of violence from threat to genocide
![Page 4: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Inadequate Theories of Violence
• Biological explanations: genetics, drives, testosterone, teeter-totter brain, no signals
• Behavioural explanations: human instinct a la Freud, learned aggression, frustration, wrong parenting, violent subcultures, ethnic disposition, faulty role-playing, media-generated imagery, psychological deficiencies, criminal personality
• Evolutionary explanations: birthing trauma, animal regression, differentiating sexes, “man-the-hunter”, historical imprints, moral/legal civilizing processes & definitions, violent cultures
![Page 5: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Problems in these Approaches
• Violence has a gender: males excel at it!• Biological explanations do not account for
individual agency/cross-cultural patterns• Behavioural explanations do not account
for the complex social causes of violence, e.g. unemployment nor refusal of violence
• Violence does not occur spontaneously• Violence often instrumental to “prove”
masculinity & virility by males, yet not all
![Page 6: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Recent Examples• American school shootings• Gang shootings in Toronto• Domestic violence & child assault reporting• Catholic priests convictions for pedophilia• Impact of cumulative increase in media violence• Light penalties for environmental criminals• Increased need for respect in the face of equalizing of
sexes: Montreal Massacre’89• At the beginning of 2003, there were thirty wars (conflicts
claiming more than 1000 lives)• Violence increasing, not decreasing: torture “acceptable”
![Page 7: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Sample: Testosterone=Aggression
• Robert Sapolsky, “Tesosterone rules!” (1998): t-levels cannot predict which males will be violent
• ‘boys will be boys’—but environmental triggers of aggression work to release the hormone into the system
• Even if much higher levels are introduced, social environment plays a major role in subsequent behaviour
• Biology is NOT destiny in the male: stereotype disproved in labs & field studies; “normal” N.A. males not violent
• Even castration does not result in no aggression• Critical to remember the limits of biology: meaningless
outside of the context of social factors of human milieu
![Page 8: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Preventing Violence
James Gilligan (2000): almost every act of violence preventable, if it is a priority
• Abolish moral/legal approach as vicious cycle but treat it as a public health threat
• Shame & perceived disrespect triggers for violence—restores self-esteem (but not females)
• Social causes: relative poverty/jobless rate, caste rankings, shame culture, wars, gender role
• Violence “proves” masculinity (as homophobia)
![Page 9: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War & Society
• Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (1996): most researchers + gen. public never recognize resistance to killing as nearly universal
• Killing is traumatic: easier from a distance• Factors: demands of authority, group
absolution, emotional distance, type of victim, killer’s predisposition, death-math: training, recent experiences, temper
• What are we doing to our children? Media!
![Page 10: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
What Every Person Should Know about War (2003)
• Chris Hedges, NY Times war correspondent, authored War is a Force that gives us meaning
• Bullets travel 730 m/s over a kilometre; 40% combat deaths = head/neck wounds
• Of past 3400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 8% of them
• Between 1900-1990, 43 million soldiers died but 62 million civilians; in the 1990s, civilian deaths were between 75-90% of all war deaths
• Most recruits MUST be trained to kill (Pavlovian)
![Page 11: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Investigating War as Violence
• Gwynne Dyer, War, New Edition (2004)• Joshua Goldstein, War & Gender (2001)• Barbara Ehrenreich, Blood Rites (1997)• David Jones, Women Warriors (1997)• Joseph Kuypers, Man’s Will to Hurt (1992)• Glen Stassen, Just Peacemaking (1998)• Howard Zinn, Just War (2005)
![Page 12: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Elimination of Violence
• Elizabeth Stanko, Violence Research Program, (London, England)
• Centre for Peace Studies (U of T) & LaMarsh Research Centre (York U.)
• UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948) authored by John Peters Humphrey (Can.)
![Page 13: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
UN Sec-Gen’s Study of Violence Against Children (June 2005)
• Covers family, community, schools, media, other institutions + esp. vulnerable kids
• Identifies gaps in research & stats info• “Evidence demonstrates that these
violations…have serious & lifelong effects on children’s devel. & society as a whole”
• “…what happens to you as a child will stay with you the rest of your life” 13 yr old girl
![Page 14: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Situation Urgent: Global Priority
• Annual estimates US $ billions: UN (1998) basic education for all humanity: 6
water/sanitation for all: 9 basic health/nutrition for all: 13• Ice cream bought in EU: 11• Pet Food costs in USA & Europe: 17• Narcotic Drugs globally: 400• Military Spending globally: 780
![Page 15: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Youth: Take a look at choices
• 3rd Marines at Fallujah (music--Korn)• Free Hugs Campaign (music-sick puppies)• Howard Zinn on war (Youtube)• VRP Site• Peace Brigades• War Child site• UNICEF• PAEP
![Page 16: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
LaMarsh Research Centre@YorkU
• Focuses on violence, youth, & health• has Child/Youth Violence Research Group • Home of Canadian Initiative for Prevention
of Bullying (develops awareness & tools)• Offers Brazilian Ball funds for Seed Grants
& Research Development Grants aimed at reducing violence in the lives of children & youth, plus Graduate Awards for students
![Page 17: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Faculty Research Programs@ LaMarsh{contact Centre Coordinator,
Irene Backhouse <[email protected]>}Dr. Jennifer Connolly: Teen Relationship Project
on dating violence & harassmentDr. Debra Pepler: CIPB national program to study
& stop bullying in school/ peersDr. Des Ellis: Risk Management for predicting
domestic violence@separationDr. Greg Malszecki: research on violence in sport
at all levels & gender/homophobiaDr. Trevor Hart: Teen Sexuality/SelfHealth&Peers
![Page 18: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
What to do?• Support anti-violence education and anti-bullying
along with peace efforts & personal responses• Acknowledge the male gender of violence: key• Redefine theories by including social context• Take profit/pleasure out of pain: cruelty desensit.• Destroy weapons and use of force: end fighting
culture and refuse it as a solution to all conflict • Admit negative role of media: inform investors• Seek partnerships & promote health through
absolute insistence on all essential human rights
![Page 19: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Conclusion“What is conditioned can be
deconditioned. Men can change” --Catherine Itzin
“Witnessing violence teaches you violence and makes you hate.” --
Adolescent, Sask. Youth in Care & Custody Network
![Page 20: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
“if it is to be, it is up to me”
![Page 21: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
The state of inner readiness is known as hope
![Page 22: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
“Spring when flowers burst out of hard patches of wintered land makes growth
look so easy, but do not be fooled; growth is the process of staying with what seems futile and useless and
ungiving and barren until it becomes something that we know was worth
doing. Growth is the process of finally finding good where for a while no good
seemed to be”—Joan Chittister, feminist theologian &
ecologist
![Page 23: The Human Science of Violence: Researching Roots & Prevention](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022062501/56815df8550346895dcc2ec1/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
This is where you come in…