Collision of Wills
内容简介
Product Description
Minor debts, derisive remarks, a fight over a parking space, butting in line—these are the little things that nevertheless account for much of the violence in human society. But why? Roger V. Gould considers this intriguing question in Collision of Wills. He argues that human conflict is more likely to occur in symmetrical relationships—among friends or social equals—than in hierarchical ones, wherein the difference of social rank between the two individuals is already established.
This, he maintains, is because violence most often occurs when someone wants to achieve superiority or dominance over someone else, even if there is no substantive reason for doing so. In making the case for this original idea, Gould explores a diverse range of examples, including murders, blood feuds, vendettas, revolutions, and the everyday disagreements that compel people to act violently. The result is an intelligent and provocative work that restores the study of conflict to the center of social inquiry.
From the Inside Flap
Minor debts, derisive remarks, a fight over a parking space, butting in line—these are the little things that nevertheless account for much of the violence in human society. But why? Roger V. Gould considers this intriguing question in Collision of Wills. He argues that human conflict is more likely to occur in symmetrical relationships—among friends or social equals—than in hierarchical ones, wherein the difference of social rank between the two individuals is already established.
This, he maintains, is because violence most often occurs when someone wants to achieve superiority or dominance over someone else, even if there is no substantive reason for doing so. In making the case for this original idea, Gould explores a diverse range of examples, including murders, blood feuds, vendettas, revolutions, and the everyday disagreements that compel people to act violently. The result is an intelligent and provocative work that restores the study of conflict to the center of social inquiry.
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作者简介
罗杰•古尔德（Roger V. Gould , 1962—2002），生前为耶鲁大学社会学暨政治学教授。曾任芝加哥大学社会学教授、《美国社会学报》（American Journal of Sociology）主编，在历史社会学、社会运动与社会网络分析等领域作出了杰出贡献。
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目录
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读书文摘
人类只有在特定社会形态下才会诉诸于系统的暴力行动；暴力绝不仅仅源于人类出于自我保护的生理反应或追求利益的心理动机，它更是一种社会现象和社会过程。但暴力并不是社会失序的必然产物，它离不开一系列复杂的社会机制。比如，在现实生活中，社会地位悬殊的两个人或群体并不经常发生冲突，冲突双方往往社会地位相近或存在竞争关系。
几乎所有现代国家都是战争的产物。且不说两次世界大战对当代世界格局的深远影响，今日之两岸关系、中日关系、中朝关系、中韩关系、中美关系甚至中俄关系，哪一个不与战争的政治遗产有关？……人类利益的冲突是现代性的有机组成，维持一个秩序往往孕育了暴力的种子
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