Table of Contents

1.  The Problem of Collective Violence 

      Defining Collective Violence

      Rationality versus Irrationality

      Micro versus Macro Roots of Collective Violence

      Interplay with State Authorities

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

2.  Explaining Collective Violence

      Individual-Level Explanations of Collective Violence

Rationality, Irrationality, and Involvement in Collective Action

Frustration and Relative Deprivation

The Effect of Social Attachments

      Social and Structural Explanations of Collective Behavior

Smelser's Structural-Strain Theory

Political Theories and Resource Mobilization

      Social Constructionist Perspectives

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

3.  Riots 

      Types of Riots

      A Brief History of U.S. Riots

            The Colonial Period

            Rioting in the Nineteenth Century

            Race Riots in the Early Twentieth Century

            The 1960s Urban Riots

      Explaining Riots and Rioting

            Who Riots?

            The Underlying Conditions of Riots

      The Consequences of Riots

      Prison Riots

            Explaining Prison Riots

            The Consequences of Prison Riots

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

4.  Revolution  

      Explaining Revolution

            Marx and Engel's Theory of Revolution

            The Natural History of Revolution

            Relative Deprivation and Rising Expectations

            Structural Theories

      Some Twentieth-Century Revolutions

            The Russian Revolution of 1917

            The Chinese Revolution of 1949

            Nicaragua and Revolution

            The Iranian Revolution

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

5.  Terrorism  

      Defining Terrorism

      Examples of Historical and Contemporary Terrorism

            Vigilante Terrorism

            Insurgent Terrorism

            Transnational Terrorism

            State Terrorism

      Explaining Terrorism

            Psychological and Social-Psychological Views

            Structural Views

           Media Coverage of Terrorism

      Women and Terrorism

      Countering Terrorism

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

6.  Cults  

      A Short History of Cults in the United States

      Explaining Cults

              Characteristics of Cult Belief Systems and Ideology

            Millenialism

            Charismatic Leadership in Cults

            Membership

            Organizational Structure

            Cultic Examples: Satanic Cults in the United States

            Neo-Pagans

      Cults and Violence

            Cults and Apocalyptic Beliefs

            Apocalypticism and Cult Violence

            Cults and Weapons of Mass Destruction

      The Anti-Cult Movement

      Preventing Cult Violence

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

7.  Hate Groups: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide 

      A History of U.S. Hate Groups

      Explaining Hate Groups

            An Example: The Ku Klux Klan

      Ethnic Conflict

            U.S. Ethnic Conflict

            Explaining Ethnic Conflict

            Examples of Ethnic Conflict

      Genocide

            A History of Genocide

            Explaining Genocide

            An Example of Genocide: The Ethnic Cleansing of Banja-Luka

      Controlling Ethnic Conflict and Genocide

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

8. Gangs, Survivalists, and Militias

      Gangs in America

Explaining Gang Violence

            Gang Members and Leaders

            Example: MS-13, the Mara Salvatrucha

            Example: The Fuerzas Armadas Revolutionaries de Columbia

              (FARC)

            Skinheads

            Prison Gangs

      Survivalists

      The Unorganized Militias

            A Short History of the Unorganized Militias

            Activities and Structure of the Militia Movement

            An Example: The Mountaineer Militia of West Virginia

      Preventing Gang and Militia Violence

      Conclusion

      Key Terms

9.  Conclusion: The Nature and Future of Collective Violence 

      The Structural Roots of Collective Violence

      The Rationality of Collective Violence

      The Consequences of Collective Violence

      Interplay with the State