Sociology of Violence
Richard Block

Sociology 216 Office Damen Hall 931

Fall 2005

Class Hours 10-11:15 T & T  Telephone 508-3454

Office Hours 11:20-12:30 T & T 3:00-4:00 W EMAIL rblock@luc.edu

In Chicago, the threat of violence is a daily concern for us all. In this course, violence will be studied as a social phenomena. The course includes general descriptions and explanations of violent crime, specific causal explanations such as alcohol, drug use, or gun availability, and possible methods to reduce lethal and non-lethal violence. While many forms of personal violence will be examined, special emphasis will be Sexual & Family Violence, Gang Violence, and Terrorism.

There are two required texts for the course:

Mathew Silberman, Violence & Society

Jonathan White. Terrorism 4th Edition

In addition many other required readings are available on the world wide web. A hot linked version of this syllabus is available on Black Board.

Sociological Explanations of Violence

Aug 30-Sept 1 Studying Violent Crime-Sociological Explanations

http://www.ncjrs.org/criminal_justice2000/vol_1/02b.pdf Theoretical Developments in Criminology

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/186049.pdf The New Chicago School

Silberman 1-46, 81-122

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/maps/boston2004/papers/Block.ppt Violence Travel Patterns

Personal Violence

Sept 6-8 Lethal and Non-Lethal Violence in Specific Groups: Race/Ethnicity, Gender and Age

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/homtrnd.htm BJS Homicide Trends

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ivc98.pdf Injuries from Violent Crime 1992-1998

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles/172837.pdf findings of the national violence against women survey

Silberman 47-65

Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence

Sept 13 Sexual Violence

Silberman 191-250, 301-311

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/182369.pdf Sexual Victimization of College Women

Sept 15 Violence In the Family and Against Intimate Partners

Silberman 123-190

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ipv.pdf 2000 Intimate Partner Violence

http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/cwhrs/glance2000.pdf Chicago Women's Health Risk Survey

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/184894.pdf Retest of the Cycle of Violence Hypothesis

Sept 20 Quiz on Readings from Aug 30-Sept 15

Sept 22 No Class I am working on a project in Europe

Sept 27-29 Domestic Violence & Criminal Justice Policy

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/188199.pdf effect of arrest on intimate partner violence

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/spousmur.pdf Spouse Murder Defendants in Large Urban Counties

Oct 4 No Class Jewish New Year

Oct 6 Midterm Review First paper is due.

Oct 11 Mid Semester Break

Oct 13 Midterm If you can't attend, tell me.

Gang Violence

Oct 18-25 Gang Violence: Levels and Explanations

Chicago Gang Research Website
http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jjbul9712-2/jjb1297.html#contents Developmental Pathways to Youth Violence

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles/170027.pdf serious violent young offenders

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/165152.pdf epidemiology of youth violence

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/93920.pdf Youth Gangs Drugs & Violence

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188992.pdf Guns Used by Male Juveniles

Oct 27-Nov 1 Gang Violence Reduction

http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/188741.pdf Reducing Gun Violence-The Boston Cease Fire Project

http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/oga/GVRP.pdf Chicago Cease Fire

Terrorism

Nov 3-8 Explanation of Political Violence, Terrorism, and War

White 3-30, 46-77

Nov 10-15 The Structure of Terrorist Groups and Terrorist Operations

White 31-45

Marighella Mini-manual for the Urban Guerilla http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/marighella.htm

Nov 17 Quiz on readings since the midterm

Nov 22 Middle Eastern Terrorism

White 92-111, 133-170

alternate views

http://www.minfo.gov.ps/english.htm� Website of the Ministry of Information of the Palestinian Government

http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/home.asp Website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel

Nov 29 Nationalistic and Ethnic Terrorism

White 186-204

Dec 1 Terrorism in the United States

White 204-236, Silberman 335-346

Hate Group Yellow Pages http://www.bcpl.net/~rfrankli/hatedir.pdf 

Dec 6 US Responses to Terrorist Threats

White 267-300

http://www.rand.org/publications/electronic/terrorism.html RAND Terrorism Reports

Gilmore Commission Report http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/additional/volume_v/volume_v_report_only.pdf

Dec 8 Final Review SECOND PAPER DUE

Dec 12 FINAL 1:45-3:45

Your grade will have the following components:

Class participation 15 pts.

Quiz (2) 8 pts 16 pts.

Midterm 20 pts.

Final 25 pts.

Papers (2) 12 pts 24 pts.

There will be several guest speakers during the semester. I will give you a schedule in the next two weeks.

Quizzes will be short answer tests. The Midterm and Final will be essay exams. You will be allowed to bring to one 81/2" x 11" page of notes for the midterm and final.

Each paper must be a minimum of six typed pages + a bibliography. Each will address a current issue in violence from a behavioral science perspective. The first paper should address some topic related to domestic, gender or gang violence. The second paper should be on terrorism In writing your papers, feel free to express your own ideas, but you must back up your opinions with previously completed social research. Your papers must be your own work and written for this class.

Class participation is a component of your grade. If you are not in class, you cannot participate. Attendance will be taken randomly in eight classes. The class participation component of your grade consists of 8 points (maximum) for attendance and 7 points (maximum) for class discussion. Because violence is an everyday topic, be prepared to discuss incidents of violence that are reported in the newspapers and on television.

You will be informed in advance when the speakers are coming and will be expected to attend. The contents of videos and the discussion of guest speakers may be included on the midterm and final.

Finally, in previous classes on violence, several students have been working through past or current violence in their own life. Respect these students during discussion. While I am not a counselor, I can suggest places you can go for help with violent situations in your own life.

Unfortunately the class schedule will be disrupted this semester by my ongoing work on spatial analysis of crime and a Jewish holiday. Several classes will be canceled.

GOOD LUCK!!!