Towards a phenomenological theory of violence

reflections following Merleau-Ponty and Schutz

Michael Staudigl

Universität Wien

pp. 233-253

in: Human Studies 30 (3), 2007.

Abstract

This paper lays the groundwork for developing a thorough-going phenomenological description of different phenomena of violence such as physical, psychic and structural violence. The overall aim is to provide subject-centered approaches to violence within the social sciences and the humanities with an integrative theoretical framework. To do so, I will draw primarily on the phenomenological accounts of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Alfred Schutz, and thereby present guiding clues for a phenomenologically grounded theory of violence.

Cited authors

Merleau-Ponty Maurice

Schütz Alfred