The Meanings of Violence

This volume locates the meaning of violence within social contexts, identities, and social divisions. It aims to break open our way of speaking about violence and demonstrate the value in exploring the multiple, contradictory, and complex meanings of violence in society. The wide range of topics cover violence between prostitutes and clients, among young people, in bars and nightclubs, in prison, as well as violence motivated by racism or homophobia.

The media often makes sense of violence in terms of 'randomness' and 'evil'. But the reality, as the contributors to The Meanings of Violence demonstrate, is far more complex. Drawing on the diverse subject matter of the ESRC's Violence Research Programme - from interviews with killers to discussions with children in residential facilities - this volume locates the meaning of violence within social contexts, identities and social divisions. It aims to break open our way of speaking about violence and demonstrate the value in exploring the multiple, contradictory and complex meanings of violence in society. The wide range of topics include:*Prostitute and client violence *Violence amongst young people at school and on the streets *Violence in bars and nightclubs *Violence in prison *Racist and homophobic violenceThis book will be fascinating reading for students of criminology and academics working in the field of violent crime.

Introduction Conceptualising the Meaning of Violence 1. Headlines from History: Violence in the Press 1850-1914 John Archer and Jo Jones 2. 'Jump on top, get the job done': Strategies employed by female prostitutes to reduce the risk of client violence Graham Hart, Marina Barnard 3. Violence against children: Thresholds of acceptance for physical punishment in a normative study of parents children and discipline neal hazel, Deborah Ghate, Susan Creighton, Julia Filed and Steven Finch Part II: Violence, Meaning and Social Identities 4. 'Taking it to Heart': Girls and the Meanings of Violence Michele Burman, Jane Brown and Susan Batchelor 5. 'Hi I'm Ramon an I run this place': challenging normalisation of violence in children's homes form young people's perspectives Emma Renold and Christine Barter 6. Understanding racist violence Larry Ray, David Smith and Liz Wastell Part III: Violence, Meaning and Social Context 7. The Constitution of Fear in Gay Space leslie J Moran, Beverley Skeggs, Paul Tyrer and Karen Corteen 8. Defined by Men's Abuse: the 'spoiled identity' of domestic violence survivors rosmary Aris, Gill Hague and Sudrey Muullender 9. Bouncers and the Social Context of Violence: madculinity, class and violence in the night-time economy Simon Winlow, Dick Hobbs, Stuart Lister and Phil Hadfield Part IV: Violence, Meaning and Institutional Contexts 10. Violence in a changing Political Context - Northern Ireland and South Africa Colin Knox and Rachael Monaghan 11. Institutional Violence: Prison Conflicts in Context Kimmett Edgar, Carol Martina dn Ian O'donnell 12. Violence, fear and 'the everyday': negotiating spatial practice in the city of Belfast Karen Lysaght and Anne Basten