GP SA 5

Structural violence

Harm caused by social, political or economic structures that systematically disadvantage certain groups, even without direct physical violence

Direct violence

Visible and intentional physical or psychological harm inflicted directly by one individual, group or state upon another

Cultural violence

Occurs when beliefs, values, traditions and ideologies justify or legitimise violence within a society

Security

Security can be understood not only in traditional terms with respect to a state, but also to the protection of individuals, communities from threats to their survival or stability

Identity

An individual or group’s sense of self, shaped by characteristics such as culture, nationality, ethnicity, religion and gender

Power

The ability of an actor to influence the behaviour, decisions or outcomes of other actors

Democratic peace theory

The theory that democratic states are less likely to engage in war with one another because of shared democratic norms, institutions and accountability

Balance of power

A situation where power is distributed among states so that no single state becomes dominant enough to threaten the security of others.

Interdependence

Mutual reliance between and among groups, organisations, geographic areas and/or states

Peace

Peace can be defined as a state of harmony and absence of hostility, violence, and conflict. There are two types of peace: negative and positive peace