Violence: Theory, Phenomenology and Public Policies

Violence has become a new social issue around the world: it’s social roots are the processes of social fragmentation, inequality, stigmatisation and social exclusion. Changes are taking place in social institutions, and the processes of socialisation are in crisis. Late modern societies also produce transformations in crime and in forms of diffuse violence, such as violent crime, gender violence, acts of racism, and school violence. A worldwide landscape of insecurity emerges.

The Sociology of Violence and Conflictiveness is particularly notable in France, the United States, United Kingdom and, strongly, in Latin America. The main concept is the microphysics of violence which points to a theoretical discussion about the civilising process in contemporary societies. This sociological tradition combines empirical research, theoretical explanations, and social commitment. But this new global social issue is provoking changes in the state: the social control is accompanied by repressive measures, a penal social control state who is accompanied by the use of illegal and illegitimate violence. The main themes are political violence, police brutality and urban violence. And the microphysics of violence also implies domestic violence, gender violence, and corporal punishment at children and seniors. We observe a lot of analysis concerning symbolic violence and the reproduction - by media, television series, movies and by literature – of a culture of violence.

Although, we note the emergence of collective action and institutional initiatives for preventing violence and reducing violent crime: there are new alternatives for public safety policies capable of guaranteeing the citizens’ rights, like the human security and citizenship safety models. Peace after violence would become a new social possibility for the new generations.