This is an excellent book for anyone involved in working or writing about violence. It offers eighteen chapters of empirically researched arguments and perspectives on violence, augmented by a myriad of theoretical positions.
Archer has accepted the differences of the authors and sought to grapple with the root causes be they Darwinian or economic or social in origin. There is a clear attempt throughout the book to work with the interaction of nature and culture in comprehending the sources of violence rather than seeing them as separate sides of a dichotomy.
The book starts with 'Aggression in Childhood', looks at inter-male violence, violence towards women and children, and finally there are six chapters on the explanations and theoretical underpinnings.
The final result is daunting. Four hundred pages of everyday things men do which are horrible. But as Archer points out, violence is perpetrated by women, but the occasional and highly newsworthy female serial killer or penis maimer should not deflect us from the wider issue that over eighty percent of violent acts against all people are dished out by men.
As a reader in 'Violence' this is very good.
Nigel Larcombe
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