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URBAN VIOLENCE
Afro-Am 106-300-001 Prof. Van Horne
Spring 1982 T & R 11:00-1:00 p.m.
MIT 291 x4154

DESCRIPTION

As the city goes so goes the civilization. At first blush, this appears to be
a metaphysical assertion rather than an empirical generalization. Yet, it is
undeniable that every truly great civilization in human history has both
flowered and decayed in the city. It is thus to the city that we must look if
we would understand man at his creative best and destructive worst.

Violence is an instrument of destruction, occasioning harm to those who suffer
it. In spite of its destructiveness violence is not without creative possibilities
in so far as it prepares the ground upon which a new structure of social relations,
that is both normatively and empirically better than the old one, is to be
constructed. But violence harms persons and destroys property, hency any claim,
or set of claims concerning its creative possibilities must be justified on good
grounds. A serious study of the phenomenon of violence must, therefore, scrutinize
closely the factors that occasion it, its consequences and purposes. These
central ideas will ground our discussion of urban violence.

They should enable us to (I) come to grips with the essential attributes of the
city and violence, (II) analyze, using historical examples, the role of violence
in modifying and/or transforming the structure of social relations in the city
and society, (III) evaluate the possibilities and limits of violence in
fostering the improvement of quality of life in the city as well as
society at large.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the semester each student should be able to discuss critically the
following:

I) the nature of violence and the major attributes of the city over historical time;
II) factors that foster violence in the city;
III) types of violence common to the city;
IV) the consequences of violence in the city;
V) the possibilities and limits of violence as an agent of social change

REQUIREMENTS

I) Regular class attendance
II) Participation in class discussion - based on materials covered in the readings
and lectures;
III) 1st mid-term 30%
IV) 2nd mid-term 30%
V) Final Exam 40%

OFFICE HOURS

T & R 11:00-1:00 p.m., and by appointment, in Mitchell 291. You are encouraged to come
and discuss any questions you may have concerning the materials covered in the lectures
and readings. Anyone who wishes to write a paper in lieu of one of the mid-terms may
come and discuss this with me.