Speaker reports pain in white foot, suspecting broken bone.
Indicates limping as a result of the injury.
Gender Perspectives in Conflict
Contemporary literature predominantly focuses on men, often overlooking broader humanity.
Reflection on why humans fight could provide deeper insights into conflict.
Example of gender theory:
Studies masculinity and femininity to understand fighting behavior.
Suggestion that certain traits are associated with males, complicating binary views of gender.
Historically, men are more involved in societal violence, including wars and conflicts.
Military involvement of female fighters (e.g., Pashma Maga in Turkey) is perceived as unusual.
Traditional portrayal of refugees in conflict often depicts elderly women and children as fleeing, whereas men are typically seen as fighters.
Gendered Interpretations of Victims in Conflict
Victimhood often viewed through gendered perspectives.
Civilian men are less frequently recognized as victims; they are seen as potential combatants.
New theories introduce fresh lenses to interpret existing empirical examples.
Biological and Evolutionary Theories of Violence
Overview of theories exploring inherent violence in humans:
Question of whether violence is biologically inherited or a product of civilization.
Key theorists:
Richard Rangham and Dale Hickerson (1996):
Title of book: Demonic Men.
Argue males are born with violent tendencies, yet institutional structures reduce these impulses.
Steven Pinker (2011):
Book: The Better Angels of Our Nature.
Claims that institutions have significantly reduced violence.
References post-World War II patterns where no democratic states have engaged in war with one another.
Notion that civilization has fostered more peaceful societies.
Counterarguments to Evolutionary Theories
Discussions around defense needs and military might:
Despite arguments about institutional reduction of violence, states maintain armed capabilities.
Examination of decolonization and internal conflicts framed against ostensibly less civilized societies (e.g., comparisons to Western democracies).
Critiques of biological determinism from anthropological perspectives:
Margaret Mead contends that war is a cultural invention, not an inherent biological trait.
Suggests that violence is learned and can be unlearned, supporting strategies for peace and conflict transformation.
Theories within Political Violence
Discussion of political violence as a major driver of conflicts such as genocide, revolutions, and wars.
Charles Tilly:
Analyzes the relationship between the state and collective violence.
Argues states necessitate organization for warfare (e.g., uprisings, civil wars).
Book: Coercion, Capital, and European States (1990).
Proposes that states develop through sustained warfare, maintaining power and institutional frameworks.
State Building and Warfare
War as a process integral to state emergence.
Importance of taxes and resources to sustain military operations and governing institutions.
Modern relevance of Tilly's arguments, especially as states respond to emerging threats (e.g., Russia-Ukraine conflict leading to changes in military spending in Sweden).
Examination of resource allocation between military and social services influenced by security threats.
Historical ties between resource extraction in colonization and European state development.
Modern Conflicts and State Recognition
The ongoing struggle for statehood (e.g., Palestine) demonstrates ongoing political dimensions of warfare and recognition.
Israel's perspectives shaped by vulnerability and geopolitical positioning influence conflict dynamics.
Conclusion
Historical and contemporary discussions about war emphasize underlying themes of gender, politics, evolutionary science; cognitive and cultural dynamics of violence; and systematic approaches toward understanding state formation and conflict.