Violence, War and Terrorism Chapter 14 Violence, War and Terrorism

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Myth or Fact? ► Statistics show that the U.S. is one of the most “war-prone” nations in the world. ► Most research concludes that young people, who watch violent television shows or movies, are more likely to behave aggressively or violently themselves. ► The U.S. is basically a peaceful nation that has been in the forefront of efforts to stop wars around the world. ► TV shows and movies that contain some violence do not harm young people as long as the shows are clearly fiction. FACTMYTH

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Violence Behavior that is intended to bring pain or physical injury to another person or to harm or destroy property

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Collective Violence Organized violence by relatively large groups of people to promote or resist some social policies or practices

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 The Extent of Violence Civil Disorders

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Civil Disorders ► Refers to:  Strife or conflict that is threatening to the public order  Involves the government in some fashion ► Either as a party to the conflict or as a guardian of the public interest ► Labor strife ► Racial conflicts in the U.S.  Communal riots ► When whites attacked blacks in contested areas  Commodity riots ► When hostility is focused on property, merchandise or equipment

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Political Violence ► Insurrection  An organized action by some group to rebel against the existing government  In order to replace it with new political forms and leadership ► U.S. conflicts  The Revolutionary War  The Civil War  1960s

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006War ► The U.S. is “war-prone”  1798—1945: U.S. troops sent abroad for military purposes 163 times ► Major U.S. wars (past 100 years)  World War I  World War II  Korean War  Vietnam War  Persian Gulf War  Iraq War ► Other U.S. military invasions/conflicts  Nicaragua  Dominican Republic  Lebanon  Grenada  Panama  Afghanistan

Iraq War Deaths: 4,072 Wounded: 30,004 PTSD/Depression: 300,000

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International Perspectives: The Global Arms Trade ► The Military-Industrial Complex  The relationship between the military that wants to purchase weapons and the corporations that produce the weapons ► $50 billion per year in global armaments  Business thrives because many nations eager to buy, corporations benefit ► The U.S. is largest contributor  Accounts for 2/3 of world trade ► Largest arms recipients:  Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, South Korea, Japan ► Consequences of arms trade  Encourages nations to consider military solutions to conflicts  Emboldens nations to attack because they possess weapons

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Constructing War: The Role of Mass Media ► Shaping perceptions of war and military solutions (Interactionist Perspective) ► Contrast news coverage of U.S. wars  Vietnam War ( ) ► Reporters given free rein to go everywhere ► Realistic portrayals of battles, casualties  Gulf War (1991) ► Strict control of media access to war zone ► Images and information approved by military  “Clean” war, devoid of blood and suffering  Stressed technology—”smart bombs”, laser-guided missles  Iraq War ( ) ► “Embedded” journalists with military units  Less freedom and access ► Sanitized and positive view of the war ► The role of the media in public opinion to support or oppose war  “Contested territory”

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 POLICY ISSUES American Empire: A New World Order? ► U.S. as sole superpower  After collapse of Soviet Union ► New threats  Worldwide terrorism  Rogue nations  WMDs ► New foreign policy—National Security Strategy  U.S. pre-eminence  Pre-emptive and preventive war  Unilateralism ► Controversy  “The New Imperialism” or “American Empire”?  Prevent or provoke more violence?

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Weapons of Mass Destruction ► Nuclear, chemical, biological and toxin weapons  Proliferation to more nations ► And non-state entities (terrorist networks) ► International efforts to prevent spread of WMDs  Weapons Conventions ► Chemical (1925), Biological (1972), Chemical (1993)  Treaty on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968) ► Nuclear Weapons States  United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China  So. Africa (dismantled) ► Nuclear Testing  Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Iran

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Terrorism ► Refers to:  An attempt to achieve political goals, by using fear and intimidation to disrupt the normal operations of society ► Terrorist attacks in U.S.  1993 World Trade Center  1995 Oklahoma City Federal Building  2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon ► Terrorist attacks outside U.S. targeting its citizens  1988 Scotland – Pan Am jet  1998 Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – U.S. Embassies

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Social Roots of Terrorist Violence ► Resorted to by people with little power and resources  Who see no other way to advance toward goals ► Perceived grievances or injustice  Serve as a justification for their actions  The U.S. as focus of grievances ► More likely to gain recruits among desperate and deprived people  Ideologies that demonize the rich as source of economic distress ► Technological advancements contribute to expansion of terrorist activities  WMDs  Modern communications ► Some motivated by politics, ethnic loyalties, religious fervor, or criminal intent  Sept. 11 terrorists

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Terrorism ► Government support for terrorism  Supplying arms, training and technical expertise, travel documents, hideouts  According to U. S. Dept. of State: ► Syria, Iran, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, Sudan ► Reducing or eliminating terrorism  Involves police, intelligence, military activities  Must also focus on grievances, dislocations and deprivations ► Efforts to protect against threatened terrorist attacks  Which measures are most effective?  What is the cost of such measures?

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Video Presentation:

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Social Sources of Collective Violence and War ► Structural preconditions  Social strain or deprivation (Functionalist Perspective)  Competition over scarce valued resources (Conflict Perspective)  Ethnocentrism (Interactionist Perspective) ► Appears in the following forms:  Religious conflicts  Racial and ethnic conflicts  Conflicts over scarce natural resources  Conflicts over beliefs and ideologies  Protection against attacks or invasion  Protection of national pride

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Social Sources of Collective Violence and War ► Preconditions are translated into violence through:  Frustration ► An inability to achieve sought-after goals  Relative deprivation ► In comparison to what others have or what they believe they deserve ► Likelihood of violence influenced by mediating factors  Subculture of violence ► Norms and values that condone and legitimize the use of violence in resolving conflicts  Violence in the media ► Arouses and stimulates viewers ► Provides viewers with violent role models ► Teaches viewers that violent and antisocial behavior is desirable

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 The Consequences of War and Terrorism Nuclear Annihilation Crime Economic Problems Death, Injury, Social Dislocation Political Turmoil

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 The Consequences of War and Terrorism ► Death, Injury and Social Dislocation  100 million killed in 20 th century  Refugees ► Crime  Social environment disrupted  War legitimizes violence ► Political Turmoil  Disenchantment with war  Reduced tolerance for dissent ► Economic Problems  Destruction of infrastructure  Cost of war and economic toll ► Nuclear Annihilation  “Winter of despair”  “Nuclear winter”

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Future Prospects ► Social Reform and Social Justice  Changing the seedbeds of violence  Controversial and difficult, but essential ► Gun Control  Research on regulation shows very modest or no impact on violence  So many guns available to distribute around restrictions ► Media Control  Pressure to establish regulations on violent content  Resistance from media companies  No infringement on first amendment rights

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006 Future Prospects ► Preventing War  Maintaining the balance of power ► Massive retaliation ► Mutually assured destruction  Arms control and disarmament ► Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I, II) ► Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties (START I, II)  Nonproliferation of weapons ► NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)  World government ► The United Nations, World Court (The Hague)  Collective action ► Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)  Human Rights Watch, International Criminal Court