[alert variation=”alert-info”]Publisher: Prometheus Books
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Kindle
Purchase: Powell’s | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | iBooks[/alert]

In this book, Benjamin Ginsberg explores one of the most important topics of all times, namely violence. In six chapters the author looks at the various ways in which violence shapes a society and determines human behavior, particularly in the modern world. He suggests that violence is much more pervasive, very often subtly, than we ordinarily perceive, and that the role of violence is central to exercise of authority and control, even in democratic political systems.

The book does an impressive job in condensing a lot of valuable information in a fairly small publication with introduction to many valuable concepts and a critical evaluation of important events and more recent incidents, particularly in contemporary American society. Ginsberg is critical of authority and state as well as media and communicating channels that frequently cover up abuses and violations of civil rights whose revelation could otherwise lead to non-participation and greater activism toward civil rights.

One of the most notable qualities of the book is its coherence. All chapters and their sections stay very true to the topic and build upon each other to provide a broad view of the topic as well as specific details for illustration. Engaging sections on crime and investigations make the book a page-turner at times.

Very informative, thought-provoking, and interesting, The Value of Violence can be a great beginning for students, teachers, and almost anyone who values critical thinking and seeks greater understanding of the role of violence in our world.

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