Violence: Systems & Solutions ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

Although many of us have grudgingly come to accept violence as an inevitable and almost 'natural' part of our everyday lives, we struggle with developing some understanding of why violence happens and what to we can do about it. This study is intended to explore the multitude of theories about the causes of violence, how violence manifests in today's world, and to think creatively about mechanisms for addressing violence. Specifically, this study will critically examine the following issues: 1. What is violence? What does it mean to say that violence is 'socially constructed?' How is violence measured by government agencies? 2. What are the differences and similarities between individual violence, collective violence and state sponsored violence? How is violence produced by social systems? 3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various theories for understanding violence? 4. What approaches have been used to address various forms of violence? Have they been effective? Can we envision new and innovative approaches to addressing violence? Prerequisites: introductory sociology, psychology and/or criminal justice studies; OR comparable prior learning Studies in other disciplines such as history, psychology, sociology, etc. will enhance the learning in this study.