Overview
"The modern state's claim to a monopoly of legitimate force bestows the concomitant duty of preventing the resort to violence by non-state actors. Consequently, failure to do so often leads to debates concerning the legitimation of the perpetrators themselves and the legitimation of the authorities who were unable or unwilling to prevent their violent actions. Narratives of Violence constitutes the first work which relates these stigma contests to each other by analyzing the public discourse about right-wing violence in Israel. The result is an absorbing book which provides a fundamental re-evaluation of the causes and consequences of political violence and its societal boundaries. Its conclusions will have a resounding impact on the Israeli body politic and for democratic governments around the world."--BOOK JACKET.Synopsis
"The modern state's claim to a monopoly of legitimate force bestows the concomitant duty of preventing the resort to violence by non-state actors. Consequently, failure to do so often leads to debates concerning the legitimation of the perpetrators themselves and the legitimation of the authorities who were unable or unwilling to prevent their violent actions. Narratives of Violence constitutes the first work which relates these stigma contests to each other by analyzing the public discourse about right-wing violence in Israel. The result is an absorbing book which provides a fundamental re-evaluation of the causes and consequences of political violence and its societal boundaries. Its conclusions will have a resounding impact on the Israeli body politic and for democratic governments around the world."--BOOK JACKET.
Booknews
Based upon four case studies<-->two relating to attempts to legitimate right-wing violence in Israel and two surrounding the failure of the state to prevent it<-->Cromer (Bar-Ilan U.) analyzes the relationship between violence and the state. He argues that the state's monopoly of the legitimate use of force is directly related to its duty to prevent individuals and groups from using violence. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)