Violence
A Micro-Sociological Theory
Randall Collins
Princeton University Press
“I have no doubt that this book will be hailed as
one of the most important works on violence ever
written.”
—Donald Black, author of The Social Structure of
Right and Wrong
In the popular misconception fostered by block-
buster action movies and best-selling thrillers—not
to mention conventional explanations by social
scientists—violence is easy under certain condi-
tions, like poverty, racial or ideological hatreds, or
family pathologies. randall Collins challenges this
view in Violence, arguing that violent confrontation
goes against human physiological hardwiring. It
is the exception, not the rule—regardless of the
underlying conditions or motivations.
Collins gives a comprehensive explanation of
violence and its dynamics, drawing upon video
footage, cutting-edge forensics, and ethnography to
examine violent situations up close as they actually
happen—and his conclusions will surprise you.
Violence comes neither easily nor automatically.
Antagonists are by nature tense and fearful, and
their confrontational anxieties put up a powerful
emotional barrier against violence. Collins guides
readers into the very real and disturbing worlds
of human discord—from domestic abuse and
schoolyard bullying to muggings, violent sports,
and armed conflicts. He reveals how the fog of war
pervades all violent encounters, limiting people
mostly to bluster and bluff, and making violence,
when it does occur, largely incompetent, often
injuring someone other than its intended target.
Violence overturns standard views about the root
causes of violence and offers solutions for confront-
ing it in the future.
Randall Collins is the Dorothy Swaine Thomas
Professor of Sociology and a member of the
Department of Criminology at the university of
Pennsylvania.
February 2008. 536 pages. 51 halftones. 1 line illus. 5 tables.
Cl: 978-0-691-13313-3 $45.00 | £26.95
