As members of the Vincentian Family we have become accustomed to using terms such as Advocacy, Aporophobia, Homelessness, Collaboration, Systemic Change, etc., to describe either situations that we encounter in our work/ministry or actions that we carry out. To deepen our understanding of these concepts from the perspective of our charism, we have developed this series of posts, entitled a “Vincentian Dictionary”, with the aim of offering each week an explanation of the various words/phrases from a social, moral, Christian and Vincentian perspective. Inspired by the charism of St. Vincent de Paul, we hope to deepen our understanding and reflect on service, social justice and love of neighbor. At the end of each article you will find some ideas for personal reflection and/or group dialogue.

Follow the complete thread of this Vincentian dictionary at this link.

6. The Violence from an Interdisciplinary Perspective

Understanding violence requires more than moral or historical reflection—it demands a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach that integrates the insights of psychology, anthropology, law, criminology, education, and sociology. Each of these disciplines sheds light on different dimensions of violence: its causes, manifestations, justifications, impacts, and possible solutions.

6.1 Psychological Perspectives: Aggression, Trauma, and Behavior

Psychology offers valuable insights into the individual and collective mechanisms that underpin violent behavior. From the roots of aggression to the lasting impacts of trauma, psychological research exposes the inner workings of violence—how it begins, why it persists, and what it leaves behind.

a) Aggression and Human Nature

Violence often arises from aggression, which psychology defines as behavior intended to cause harm. This can stem from:

• Biological factors, such as hormonal imbalances or neurological dysfunctions (e.g., damage to the amygdala or prefrontal cortex),
• Environmental influences, such as exposure to violence in childhood or high-stress conditions,
• Social learning, as proposed by Albert Bandura’s “Bobo doll experiment,” which demonstrated how children imitate violent behavior modeled by adults or media figures.

Some psychologists argue that aggression is innate, an evolutionary legacy for survival and dominance. Others emphasize the role of conditioning and culture in shaping violent tendencies. Either way, psychology underscores that while humans may be capable of violence, they are not inevitably violent.

b) Trauma and the Cycle of Violence

One of the most powerful insights from clinical psychology is the concept of trauma—the psychological injury caused by violence. Victims of abuse, war, or crime often suffer from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety, which can lead to self-harm or retaliatory violence.

Moreover, trauma can become cyclical: those who experience violence may internalize or replicate it, especially if no healing takes place. Breaking this cycle requires not only safety and justice but also psychological support and therapeutic intervention.

c) Dehumanization and Moral Disengagement

Psychologist Albert Bandura also introduced the concept of moral disengagement, the cognitive process by which individuals justify or rationalize harmful behavior. Mechanisms include:

• Blaming the victim,
• Minimizing consequences,
• Displacing responsibility,
• Appealing to higher causes.

Such mental processes are often at play in genocides, hate crimes, and institutional violence, where perpetrators no longer see the other as fully human. Reversing this dehumanization is a key to violence prevention.

6.2 Anthropological Insights: Rituals, Symbolism, and Social Order

Anthropology examines violence in its cultural context, revealing how it is embedded in social rituals, power structures, and belief systems. Contrary to the idea that violence is merely destructive, anthropologists often uncover how violence serves as a communicative or organizational tool in some societies.

a) Ritual Violence

In many traditional societies, violence appears in ritualized forms—initiation rites, sacrifices, or public punishments—which may serve to:

• Reinforce group identity,
• Transition individuals into new roles,
• Appease supernatural forces,
• Demonstrate power or resolve disputes.

While these practices can be brutal, they are not always viewed as immoral within their cultural settings. This challenges universalist notions of violence and urges us to understand violence as culturally mediated.

b) Symbolic Violence

Pierre Bourdieu introduced the concept of symbolic violence—a form of subtle, often invisible domination through language, norms, and education. This non-physical violence is exerted by the dominant over the dominated, often without overt coercion.

Symbolic violence naturalizes inequality, legitimizes exclusion, and compels internalized submission. It is deeply embedded in institutions such as schools, media, and churches. Anthropology helps us see how this invisible violence shapes everyday life and sustains broader systems of oppression.

6.3 Legal and Criminological Approaches: Sanction, Justice, and the State

Law and criminology focus on violence in terms of crime, punishment, and justice. They raise fundamental questions about the monopoly of violence, the role of the state, and the legitimacy of retribution.

a) The State’s Monopoly on Violence

According to Max Weber, modern states claim a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. This raises the paradox of state violence: while states exist to prevent violence, they also commit it—through policing, incarceration, war, and surveillance.

Criminology studies how states define certain acts as criminal (e.g., theft, assault) while excusing others (e.g., police brutality, military actions). It also examines patterns of incarceration, showing that marginalized communities often suffer disproportionate legal violence.

b) Punishment and Retribution

Legal systems often justify violence in the name of justice—via punishment. But this raises ethical dilemmas:

• Is retributive justice effective or just vengeful?
• Does incarceration rehabilitate or exacerbate violence?
• What role should restorative justice play?

Criminology increasingly advocates for restorative and transformative justice, which focus on healing rather than retribution and seek to repair harm through dialogue, accountability, and community engagement.

6.4 Education and the Prevention of Violence

Education is one of the most powerful tools to prevent violence and promote peace. It shapes attitudes, builds empathy, and equips individuals with nonviolent conflict-resolution skills.

a) Violence in Schools

Schools are both sites of violence (e.g., bullying, corporal punishment, discrimination) and spaces for prevention. Research shows that school-based violence:

• Impairs learning and psychological development,
• Reproduces social inequalities,
• Can perpetuate gender and racial stereotypes.

b) Peace Education

Peace education involves teaching students about:

• Human rights,
• Empathy and emotional intelligence,
• Mediation and negotiation,
• Social justice and civic engagement.

Programs that incorporate peace education have been shown to reduce aggression, improve relationships, and foster resilience. When scaled across communities, they can contribute to long-term cultural shifts away from violence.

6.5 Sociological Analysis: Normalization and Structural Reproduction

Sociology examines how violence is produced, maintained, and normalized within social structures. It reveals that violence is not just a matter of deviant individuals but is often systemic and reproduced through institutions.

a) Normalization of Violence

Sociologists explore how violence becomes invisible or normalized:

• Domestic violence treated as “private matters”,
• Police violence rationalized as necessary,
• Structural violence ignored as background.

Such normalization allows societies to tolerate high levels of harm without addressing root causes.

b) Reproduction through Institutions

Institutions—schools, prisons, the media—often reproduce violence:

• Through hierarchical structures,
• Through unequal access to power and resources,
• Through language, symbols, and practices that marginalize others.

Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of habitus helps explain how individuals internalize violent norms, making them seem natural or inevitable. Only by disrupting these patterns—through critical education, activism, and institutional reform—can society unlearn violence.

— – —

An interdisciplinary approach deepens our understanding of violence beyond simplistic explanations. Psychology uncovers its roots in the mind and emotions; anthropology reveals its cultural roles and rituals; law and criminology address its regulation and punishment; education highlights its prevention; and sociology exposes its structural reproduction.

These disciplines converge in showing that violence is not an isolated event, but a complex, systemic phenomenon—one that is learned, sustained, and sometimes even legitimized. To reduce or eliminate violence, society must therefore work across fields, drawing on knowledge, resources, and ethics from every angle. Only by integrating these insights can we hope to build more peaceful, just, and humane communities.

7. Violence in the Contemporary World

In the twenty-first century, violence remains an ever-evolving, multifaceted reality that permeates global, national, and local spheres. While humanity has made remarkable advances in technology, science, and rights-based discourse, we continue to witness brutal wars, political repression, environmental destruction, systemic inequalities, and new forms of digital aggression. Violence has not disappeared—it has transformed, adapted, and embedded itself in both visible and invisible forms within modern structures and systems.

7.1 Armed Conflicts and Global Instability

Despite post-World War II efforts to establish international peace through institutions like the United Nations, modern warfare and regional conflicts persist. While the nature of war has changed—with fewer interstate wars and more civil wars, insurgencies, and proxy battles—the devastation remains profound.

a) Contemporary Armed Conflicts

Examples of ongoing and recent violent conflicts include:

• Ukraine-Russia War: A geopolitical and humanitarian crisis resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths, displacement of millions, and severe economic and political consequences globally.
• Gaza and Israel: Recurring and escalating cycles of violence with profound civilian suffering, raising urgent ethical and humanitarian questions.
• Civil War in Syria: A multifactional war that has led to more than 500,000 deaths, chemical weapon use, and the largest refugee crisis in recent history.
• Conflict in Sudan: Ongoing internal warfare between military factions has led to mass displacement and famine.
• Myanmar: Following the 2021 coup, military violence against civilians, especially against ethnic minorities like the Rohingya, has drawn international condemnation.

These conflicts illustrate how nationalism, ethnic tension, religious extremism, authoritarianism, and resource competition fuel modern wars. Civilians increasingly bear the brunt of violence through bombings, sanctions, displacement, and famine.

b) Asymmetrical Warfare and Non-State Actors

Modern warfare is also marked by asymmetrical conflict—where non-state actors such as militias, terrorist groups, and cybercriminals challenge state power. Groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, or drug cartels use fear and violence to exert control and ideology. This further complicates conflict resolution and international law.

7.2 Violence and Technology: Digital Weapons and Surveillance

The digital age has not eliminated violence; instead, it has introduced new and less visible forms of aggression, control, and harm.

a) Cyberviolence and Cyberwarfare

Cyberattacks target infrastructure, elections, financial systems, and private data. Examples include:

• Stuxnet, a virus reportedly used to sabotage Iranian nuclear facilities.
• Ransomware attacks on hospitals, schools, and cities, which paralyze services and exploit vulnerabilities.
• Cyber-espionage by nation-states, often invisible but with massive security implications.

Cyberviolence also extends to individuals: online harassment, doxxing, revenge porn, and hate speech inflict psychological harm, especially on women, minorities, and youth.

As philosopher Grégoire Chamayou warns, “The battlefield has become delocalized; violence now hides behind screens and code.”

b) AI, Drones, and Robotic Warfare

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous weapons present unprecedented moral dilemmas:

• Drones conduct remote bombings with minimal risk to operators but high risk to civilians.
• AI decision-making in warfare raises questions about responsibility, accountability, and ethics.
• Facial recognition and surveillance are used by authoritarian regimes to control dissent and protest.

These technologies obscure responsibility and depersonalize violence, making it easier to justify and harder to regulate.

7.3 Ecological Violence: The Planet as Victim

A critical but often overlooked dimension of contemporary violence is ecological violence—harm inflicted on the Earth, non-human life, and future generations.

a) Environmental Degradation

Deforestation, pollution, fossil fuel extraction, ocean acidification, and species extinction are forms of slow violence (Rob Nixon)—gradual, cumulative, and largely invisible. Though not dramatic like explosions or shootings, this violence:

• Displaces entire communities (e.g., climate refugees),
• Destroys indigenous ways of life,
• Undermines food and water security,
• Contributes to geopolitical conflict over resources.

b) Climate Change and Vulnerability

Climate change disproportionately affects the poor and marginalized, particularly in the Global South. Drought, flooding, and extreme weather create cycles of resource scarcity, displacement, and conflict. As Pope Francis writes in Laudato Si’, “The earth herself… is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.”

This form of violence challenges traditional definitions, requiring an expanded ethical horizon that includes the planet, animals, and future humans.

7.4 Social Movements and the Struggle Against Violence

In response to these multifaceted violences, grassroots movements around the world are rising with new energy, demanding justice, protection, and systemic change. These movements operate across borders and identities, employing nonviolence, digital activism, and direct action.

a) Feminist Movements

Feminist movements have exposed gender-based violence in public and private spheres:

• #MeToo revealed widespread sexual harassment and assault.
• Latin American campaigns like “Ni Una Menos” protest femicides and state impunity.
• Activists advocate for reproductive justice, safe workplaces, and legal reform.

Feminism challenges both physical and symbolic violence, seeking to dismantle patriarchal norms and empower survivors.

b) Antiracist and Decolonial Movements

Movements like Black Lives Matter, Indigenous land rights campaigns, and decolonial student protests confront structural violence based on race, history, and power. They critique:

• Police brutality and mass incarceration,
• The legacy of colonialism and slavery,
• Cultural erasure and marginalization.

These movements argue that real peace requires reparative justice and dismantling systemic oppression.

c) Peace and Nonviolence Movements

Pacifist and antiwar groups, inspired by figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Dorothy Day, and contemporary leaders, continue to promote active nonviolence:

• Civil resistance in Palestine, Sudan, and Belarus,
• Anti-nuclear activism,
• Conflict mediation in communities affected by gangs or war.

These movements affirm that violence is not inevitable, and that alternatives based on dignity, justice, and reconciliation are possible—even in the most fractured societies.

In summary, the contemporary world presents a complex landscape of violence: from battlefields and refugee camps to homes, digital spaces, and fragile ecosystems. Modern violence is increasingly decentralized, digitized, and globalized—less visible but no less destructive. At the same time, humanity is responding with powerful movements, ethical insights, and innovative tools for peace.

The challenge before us is not merely to understand violence but to intervene in its many expressions—to resist it, prevent it, and replace it with systems that affirm life, justice, and coexistence. As the world grows more interconnected, so too must our commitment to nonviolence grow broader, deeper, and more interdisciplinary.

(To be continued…)