The organisation of military violence in the 21st century

Organization ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siniša Malešević

In this article, I analyse the sociological foundations of military violence in the 21st century. The first part of the article engages critically with the three dominant contemporary approaches in the study of organised violence: (a) the decline of violence perspective, (b) the new wars theories and (c) the technological displacement approach. I argue that despite their obvious merits, these three perspectives do not provide adequate interpretation of recent social change. In particular, I contest their emphasis on the radical discontinuity in the character of the contemporary military violence when compared to the previous historical periods. Hence, to remedy this – in the second part of the article – I develop an alternative, a longue durée, sociological interpretation centred on the role of organisational, ideological and micro-interactional powers in the transformation of military violence. In contrast to the three dominant perspectives, I argue that the 21st-century organisation of military violence has changed but it still exhibits much more organisational continuity with the last two centuries than usually assumed. More specifically, my argument centres on the long-term impact of the three historical processes that have shaped the dynamics of military violence over long stretches of time: the cumulative bureaucratisation of coercion, centrifugal ideologisation and the envelopment of micro-solidarity.

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110051
Author(s):  
Rashmi Gupta ◽  
Jemima Jacob ◽  
Gaurav Bansal

Psychosocial stressors and social disadvantages contribute to inequalities in opportunities and outcomes. In the current paper, we use an epidemiological perspective and highlight the role stress plays on individuals by reviewing the outcomes of major stressors such as poverty and unemployment. We further analyzed the psychological and physical cost of these stressors and their long-term impact. We examined the role of universal basic income and closely looked at income experiments that were implemented in the past, in terms of their effectiveness in enhancing the community as well as individual outcomes and propose the UBI as a tool for alleviating the impact of these stressors. At a time when a major pandemic (e.g., COVID-19) threatens economic stability and health globally, we believe the UBI is relevant now, more than ever.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
Marta Mori ◽  
Ronan McDermott ◽  
Saut Sagala ◽  
Yasmina Wulandari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations. Findings Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency. Practical implications Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens. Originality/value The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.


1992 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1585-1598 ◽  
Author(s):  
N J Williams ◽  
F E Twine

British housing policy has, since 1979, been dominated by a shift from collectivist to market-oriented strategies. The single most important element of this policy shift has been the sale of public-sector dwellings to sitting tenants. The patterns of such sales have been well documented, but the longer-term effects on the broader housing market are less well understood. This paper is a report of the results of a research project into the resale by purchasing tenants of Scottish Special Housing Association dwellings over the period 1979–90. The findings are placed in the broader context of the general government housing policy aimed at widening the access to owner occupation for lower-income households. The authors conclude that the long-term impact of the sale of public-sector dwellings is more likely to widen choice for existing owners rather than to increase access to owner occupation.


Author(s):  
Steven J. Ericson

This chapter discusses the Matsukata deflation and its impact on domestic agriculture and industry and on foreign trade. Regardless of whether scholars hold negative or positive views of the Matsukata reform, they have tended to overstate both the short- and long-term impact of the deflation-induced depression as well as the role of the reform itself in bringing about the “Matsukata deflation” in the first place. If Matsukata had strictly followed an orthodox program of financial stabilization, the depression would likely have been as severe as most accounts claim. But his deviations from orthodoxy—boosting government spending, promoting exports of commodities from the rural sector, and the like—helped to buffer the economy and abridge the downturn. In short, the chapter asserts that one needs to qualify the commonly held view that the Matsukata reform was “a devastating experience for millions of people.”


In this chapter, the role of the researcher in new information infrastructure research is explored. The key ideas informing this chapter are drawn from a critical reflection on trends in information systems (IS) research and the need for a more pragmatic approach (Constantinides et al., 2012). The focus is on developing a better understanding of the consequences of research choices by drawing on the notion of phronesis – the reflective development of prudent knowledge that is continuously shaped by and imbued with situated values and interests (Flyvberg, 2001). Specifically, it is argued that, IS researchers must recognize that research involves not just choices about how to conduct a study (i.e. theoretical and methodological choices), but also about why we study what we study and who is affected by our work (i.e. the desirable outcomes and long-term impact of research).


Modern Italy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Furlong

This article considers the changed role of the Italian presidency and the impact and legacy of Silvio Berlusconi on this. After consideration of some of the methodological difficulties raised by these issues, the article looks at the role of the presidency up to 1992, when the presidency was interpreted in narrow terms set by the framers of the 1948 constitution and by the predominance of the party leaders of the period over the political direction of the State. The article considers how presidents from Sandro Pertini (1978–85) on, sought in different ways to expand the political role of their office. The article analyses the different ways that Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Giorgio Napolitano used their formal and informal powers both to maintain the status of the office and to promote political goals, and concludes with an assessment of the likely long-term impact of these changes and of Berlusconi's role in them.


Author(s):  
Nicola Dalbeth

At present, despite the increasing prevalence of the disease, gout is poorly treated. Alternative models of care within primary care offer new opportunities for effective gout management. In addition to more effective use of approved agents, future gout management will be improved with increasing availability of new urate-lowering drugs. The role of urate-lowering therapy for asymptomatic hyperuricaemia, particularly in the context of co-morbid conditions such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and coronary artery disease is currently unknown; large clinical trials are needed to address this key question. Wider and earlier adoption of urate-lowering therapy in those with established gout is likely to reduce the long-term impact of this common condition.


2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Knöbl

This article argues that Arnason’s writings succeed in pushing civilizational analysis — most prominently developed by the late Shmuel N. Eisenstadt — in a much-needed direction. Coming from an action-theoretical background in which the creativity of actors is strongly emphasized, Arnason is critical of approaches within civilizational analysis that tend to downplay contingency within historical processes. Especially by focusing on the role of political power and imperial encounters, Arnason demonstrates how civilizational analysis can be further developed in ways that do not automatically assume the linearity and long-term persistence of civilizational paths.


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