How can we understand the relationship between politics and violence? Are they the same? Does one lead to the other? Is war a “continuation of politics with other means?” (Causewitz 1976). And if so, what might that mean? And who is or should be held accountable for the harms – indeed the killing--that ensues? How is meaning attributed to such violence in public discourse?; in memory?; in legal frameworks? How can we think ethically about war and killing?; about violent politics? How do we recognize violence, warring, when we see it? In this lecture we (Joakim and Maria) continue our dialogue with each other and with you, homeing in on the question of the relationship between politics, violence and accountability.

What do we fear? Who do we fear? What counts as a danger in the high-level politics of security and to whom or what? Who decides what is dangerous and what is not? Through what mechanisms is danger identified and communicated? According to what parameters: body counts?; feeling of harm and fear?; measurable indicators calculated through algorithms that assess risks? How does the recognition of danger translate into concrete policy? Are dangers evenly distributed in society? What kinds of political work does the naming of and the recognition of danger do? In this lecture we will together unpack the question: what makes the world dangerous? through classroom discussion (between Maria and Swati, and with you) as well as through exploring contemporary examples of 'discourses of danger'.

Teacher: Maria Stern (with Sofia Barakate)

Does politics always lead to violence etc HT 2023 IR 1122.pdf

Obligatory Reading:

Bourke, Joanna. 2019. ‘Why does Politics turn to violence?’ (Chapter 22), in Global Politics: A New Introduction, edited by Jenny Edkins and Maja Zehfus. New York: Routledge, pp: 454-477.

Gregory, Thomas. 2019. ‘What makes the world dangerous?’ (Chapter 23), in Global Politics : A New Introduction, edited by Jenny Edkins and Maja Zehfus. New York: Routledge, pp: 477-499.

Suggested readings/viewings:

Klay, Phil. 2020. Missionaries: A Novel. Penguin Press.

Burns, Anna. 2018. Milkman. Graywolf Press.

Barker, Pat. 2019. The Silence of the Girls. Penguin Press.

Hosseini, Khaled. 2013. The Kite Runner Riverhead books.

The Killing Fields. 1984. Directed by Roland Joffé. Screenplay by Bruce Robinson. Based on The Death and Life of Dith Pran by Sydney Schanberg.

The Vietnam War (Ken Burns and Lynn Novick), Episode 08: The History of the World (April 1969-May 1970)

Four Hours in My Lai (documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NwnnLnvQYA

Olson, J. S., & Roberts, R. (1998). My Lai: A Brief History with Documents.

https://time.com/4365138/soweto-anniversary-photograph/

https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/june-16-soweto-youth-uprising

The Day After. 1983. Directed by Nicholas Mayer. Written by Edward Hume. ABC Network.

Music/poetry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ouDZkX1Yh8

Databases

https://ucdp.uu.seLinks to an external site.

https://acleddata.com/#/dashboardLinks to an external site.

http://www.sexualviolencedata.org/datasetLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/civilian-casualty-files.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/19/magazine/victims-airstrikes-middle-east-civilians.html