Description
Book SynopsisViolence and Nonviolence descriptively analyzes numerous examples of theorists’ definitions and characterizations of varying types of violence, arguing that a commonsense view of violence and nonviolence is based on paradigm cases that most people generally agree consider as kinds of violence and nonviolence. Beyond these cases, however, McCreery argues that collectives of individuals form into politicized groups that share visions of these types of violence and nonviolence, particularly in terms of what they believe to be legitimate kinds of violence and nonviolence in contrast to illegitimate kinds. An understanding of violence and nonviolence requires a perspectival, relational approach that situates the vulnerable human body as primary. Furthermore, if nonviolence is to succeed as an effective political strategy, then it must work as a kind of violence, at least from the perspective of the adversary.
Trade Review“The term 'violence' has come to take an increasingly important and confusing place both in popular political discourse and in its technical uses in law and philosophy. McCreery has done a real service in explicating the concept and explaining the issues.”
-- Stephen Turner, University of South Florida
“Navigating delicately through many and diverging contentions about, and conceptions of, violence and nonviolence, this rich book reveals them both as relational concepts that dwell in the symbolic and heavily depend upon the contexts and interpretations of actors. Political Disagreement, Violence and Nonviolence stands out as a welcome addition to the growing theoretical literature that critically probes the widely held but ultimately unsustainable opposition of violence and nonviolence.”
-- Peyman Vahabzadeh, University of Victoria
Table of ContentsChapter One: A Commonsense View of Violence
Chapter Two: When Violence is an Essentially Contested Concept
Chapter Three: Disagreement Concerning Political Violence: A Legitimacy Issue
Chapter Four: On the Violence of Nonviolence
