Why do people commit violence and how has our understanding of it changed?
In short: Professor Joanna Bourke examines the roots of violent behavior and the evolution of British and American perspectives on it over the last two centuries. This lecture explores why violence remains a source of profound anxiety and how public perception is shaped by media and statistical interpretation.
Recorded on December 6, 2018, at Barnard’s Inn Hall in London, this lecture by social and cultural historian Joanna Bourke investigates the drivers behind human aggression. Bourke addresses the disconnect between actual crime statistics and public fear, noting that widespread innumeracy often leads to a misreading of data. She argues that our modern expectation of civility makes any breach of that social contract feel increasingly alarming.
Bourke, a Fellow of the British Academy and author of 14 books, including the award-winning An Intimate History of Killing, brings a historical lens to the subject. By analyzing how commentators have interpreted violence over the past 200 years, she seeks to identify practical ways to reduce its prevalence in contemporary society.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Understanding Violent People
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