From ancient gladiators battling to the death in front of cheering crowds to the modern-day journalistic maxim that ‘if it bleeds, it leads’, violence has occupied a prominent place in the human imagination. It is common to see animals in the wild fighting to establish dominance and eliminate potential predators. But when humans engage in similar behaviour, it raises a host of questions about the nature and implications of violence. Why has our capacity for reason, compassion and empathy been insufficient to circumvent our primal urge to use physical force to cause injury, death or other forms of harm? Why has violence exerted an irresistible hold on the human psyche throughout history? How have cultural practices and language shaped our understanding of violence in terms of either enabling or discouraging violent behaviour? What, if any, circumstances make violence acceptable? What factors cause people to be violent? What can be done by individuals and communities to prevent violence?

Activities

Conference
Violence: 2nd Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference
Saturday 14th March 2021 – Sunday 15th March 2021
Lisbon, Portugal

Submissions are now open