Collision of Wills: How Ambiguity about Social Rank Breeds ConflictMinor 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. |
Contents
Conflict Honor and Hierarchy | 1 |
Dominance Relations | 27 |
Strife out of Symmetry | 67 |
Solidarity and Group Conflict | 105 |
Conflict and Social Structure | 147 |
Honor and the Individual | 167 |
| 183 | |
Other editions - View all
Collision of Wills: How Ambiguity about Social Rank Breeds Conflict Roger V. Gould Limited preview - 2003 |
Collision of Wills: How Ambiguity about Social Rank Breeds Conflict Roger V. Gould Limited preview - 2020 |
Collision of Wills: How Ambiguity about Social Rank Breeds Conflict Roger V. Gould No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
American Anthropology argument association asymmetric relations attack Balesi behavior Bhil Cambridge chapter Chicago Press cial claim cohesion communities concept contexts Corsica Cour d'Assises cultural deference disputes dominance relations Doug McAdam dyadic economic Economic Anthropology escalation example fact feuding Freedom Summer future Gould group action group conflict group contention hierarchies homicide rates homicides honor societies implications incidents individuals instance insults interactions killing kind kinship lence matter Max Gluckman means ment Model Model Model murder Muzafer Sherif observed occur offender Oraon organizations Oxford party patterns person political Princeton prior reason rela relative revenge role sense settings social groups social rank social relations social scientists Sociology solidarity someone specific status structure subordinate substantive superior symbolic symmetric target theory things tions typically University of Chicago University Press vendetta vengeance verbal victim violence violent conflict whereas Whiskey Rebellion York