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Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict

The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict, a three-volume set written by more than 200 eminent contributors from around the world, takes advantage of increasing, worldw… Read more

Description

The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict, a three-volume set written by more than 200 eminent contributors from around the world, takes advantage of increasing, worldwide awareness in the public, private, commercial, and academic sectors about manifestations of violence in all segments of society. While the contributors do not use these volumes to make specific arguments, they do describe and clarify the developments in thought that have led to current theories about and positions on violence and peace. Our reviewers consistently note that while many in-depth studies of war, peace, and aggression exist, the attendant specialization keeps scholars from learning about related fields. No publication competing with the Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict can satisfy their need for a vast introductory work to such a diverse and socially-important field. This major work includes more than 190 multidisciplinary articles with over 1,000 cross-references and more than 2,000 bibliography entries for further reading which are arranged alphabetically for easy access.

Key features

  • More than 190 multidisciplinary articles with over 1,000 cross-references
  • Article outline and glossary of key terms begin each article
  • Entries arranged alphabetically for easy access
  • Three-volume set with subject index of over 750 entries
  • Articles written by more than 200 eminent contributors from around the world

Readership

Undergraduates, graduates, and professors in social, life, and physical sciences. Government, non-profit, and commercial organizations whose work involves peace or aggression

Review quotes

"...the Encyclopedia is a thoroughly impressive work, well written, well organized and well presented. As a starting point for newcomers to the field, as a useful aid to those already involved but seeking to broaden their range of knowledge, as a useful guide to any non-scholars seeking information about what peace and conflict studies has currently to say about many important topics, it is thoroughly admirable. At times, reviewers can only revert to cliches to summarize a work's contribution but, in this case, it is true that this is a work that no library of any program on peace studies, conflict research or dispute resolution can afford to be without."—Christopher Mitchell, Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution, George Mason University in PEACE AND CONFLICT

"This mammoth set is a fascinating undertaking. It has well-written and well-researched articles, excellent cross-references, and a good index. The cast of contributors is truly impressive...the articles range widely (e.g., the impact of television on children, alliance behavior, the concept of evil, violence toward homosexuals) and because of the contributors' varied backgrounds, are variously based in anthropology, sociology, ethics, politics, and psychology, to mention a few. [It is] recommended highly for all academic libraries."—CHOICE

"The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict is an ambitious work, superbly executed (not a bad start)...It is clear that much thought has gone not only into the content, but also into the organization of the work. Comprehensiveness, diversity of viewpoint, scholarly rigor, clarity of presentation, and ease of access are the hallmarks of this encyclopedia. For this reason, it is of great value not only to students of the field, but also to practitioners and the generally curious."—COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES

Product details

About the editor

LK

Lester R. Kurtz

Lester R. Kurtz is professor of public sociology at George Mason University where he teaches courses on violence and nonviolence, peace and conflict, social movements, comparative sociology of religion, and global social thought. Kurtz holds a Master's in Religion from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago and was previously director of Religious Studies at the University of Texas-Austin. He has lectured in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America and taught as a visiting professor at the European Peace University, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Delhi University in India, and Tunghai University in Taiwan. Dr. Kurtz is the past chair of the Peace and Justice Studies Association as well as the Peace, War, and Social Conflict Section of the American Sociological Association, which awarded him its Robin Williams Distinguished Career Award in 2005. In 2014 he was given the Lester F. Ward Distinguished Contribution to Applied and Clinical Sociology Award by the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology. He is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute of Nanjing Massacre History and International Peace in Nanjing, Republic of China.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Texas, Austin, USA