Category Archives: History of Violence

Body Counts and Human Rights

Posted on April 1, 2012 by briansandberg

Body counts seem morbid, conjuring up grim memories of the horrifying language of the Vietnam War.  Yet, body counts have become key aspects of human rights law and efforts to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes. A recent article by … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Violence, Human Rights, Religious Violence, Strategy and International Politics, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Ritual and Violence

Posted on February 25, 2012 by briansandberg

The French Wars of Religion are featured in a new special issue of Past & Present, which reexamines Natalie Zemon Davis’s concept of “rites of violence” 40 years after her landmark article. The issue is entitled “Ritual and Violence: Natalie … Continue reading →

Posted in European Wars of Religion, French History, French Wars of Religion, History of Violence, Religious Violence, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

The Global War on Terror Revisited

Posted on February 24, 2012 by briansandberg

The so-called “Global War on Terror”—once omnipresent on cable news networks—seems to have receded from view.  Is the war over?  How do we think about the past 11 years of warfare in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond? Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Violence, Strategy and International Politics, Terrorism, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Negotiating Peace in Afghanistan

Posted on January 13, 2012 by briansandberg

There have been numerous reports of United States diplomatic discussions with the Taliban to negotiate an end to the Afghan War. Almost all wars end with negotiated settlements, so U.S. negotiations with the Taliban are hardly surprising. But, as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Conflict, History in the Media, History of Violence, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Jay M. Winter on “Filming War”

Posted on December 21, 2011 by briansandberg

Historian Jay M. Winter has published an essay in Dædalus (Summer 2011) on “Filming War.” This article is part of a special issue of Dædalus devoted to “The Modern American Military,” including contributions by noted military historians Brian McAllister Linn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Film, History of Violence, War in Film, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

No al Razzismo!

Posted on December 15, 2011 by briansandberg

Banners reading “No al Razzismo!” and “Il Razzismo Uccide!” have filled piazzas and adorned buildings in Firenze (Florence) following a shooting rampage by Gianluca Casseri on Tuesday. Casseri, a middle-aged Italian man who had ties to neo-fascist groups, killed two … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Control, European Union, History of Violence, Italian History | Leave a comment

President Obama Marks End of Iraq War

Posted on December 15, 2011 by briansandberg

President Obama marked the end of the Iraq War (2003-20011) with a speech at Fort Bragg today. United States military forces are scheduled to depart from Iraq by the end of the month, but State Department officials, contractors, and security … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Conflict, History of Violence, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Accounts of Haditha Massacre Salvaged

Posted on December 14, 2011 by briansandberg

The New York Times is claiming that one of its reporters has salvaged classified documents that were part of an internal United States military investigation of the 2005 Haditha Massacre, one of the pivotal events of the Iraq War. Photo … Continue reading →

Posted in Archival Research, Empires and Imperialism, History of Violence, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

Grenade Attack in Liège and Shooting in Firenze

Posted on December 13, 2011 by briansandberg

A young Belgian man attacked a crowd in the city of Liège today, firing shots and throwing multiple grenades at people in the central square in downtown Liège. Several people were killed and scores injured in this attack before the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arms Control, European Union, History of Violence, Italian History | Leave a comment

Daughter of Dirty War

Posted on December 5, 2011 by briansandberg

Issues of gender and violence are finally beginning to be studied through global perspectives and comparative methods, often with disturbing results. A trial in Argentina has presented evidence of abductions of the children by Argentinian military officers in order to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, War, Culture, and Society, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment