
Violence and Inequality
An Archaeological History
University Press of Colorado
Will be published approx. on 1. February 2024
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-64642-496-2 (ISBN)
Description
Violence and Inequality explores the deep-time archaeological relationship between violence and inequality, focusing on prehistoric archaeology's contribution to the understanding of the human dynamics among coercive force, aggression, and the state. Detailed archaeological case studies within a strong theoretical framework built from historical studies consider the role of coercive violence in trajectories toward complexity, how levels and types of violence can be traced alongside emerging wealth disparities, and the social role of violence.
The assumption that violence and its threat buttressed elite social control is now challenged from various perspectives. This volume incorporates new models of the relationship between violence and social inequalities into the archaeology of social complexity, building more complicated and nuanced understandings of how different modes of social violence can militate different types of social constitution. Contributions from a variety of methodological angles-such as the bioarchaeology of health and trauma and radiogenic isotope studies and the aesthetics of violence-use a comparative perspective, drawing on data from the Southwestern US, Bronze Age China, early dynastic Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Roman Britain, and the Andes.
Violence and Inequality offers an original and deep history of violence and inequality. Understanding the long-term intersection of violence and inequality and how they support or erode one another is of intrinsic importance, making this work significant to the study of archaeology, economic history, and collective action.
The assumption that violence and its threat buttressed elite social control is now challenged from various perspectives. This volume incorporates new models of the relationship between violence and social inequalities into the archaeology of social complexity, building more complicated and nuanced understandings of how different modes of social violence can militate different types of social constitution. Contributions from a variety of methodological angles-such as the bioarchaeology of health and trauma and radiogenic isotope studies and the aesthetics of violence-use a comparative perspective, drawing on data from the Southwestern US, Bronze Age China, early dynastic Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, Roman Britain, and the Andes.
Violence and Inequality offers an original and deep history of violence and inequality. Understanding the long-term intersection of violence and inequality and how they support or erode one another is of intrinsic importance, making this work significant to the study of archaeology, economic history, and collective action.
Reviews / Votes
"A new spin on classic and perennial themes related to violence and inequality."-Jennifer Birch, University of Georgia
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Colorado
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Interest Age: From 18 to 99 years
Product notice
Paper over boards
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
510 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64642-496-2 (9781646424962)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Thomas P. Leppard is an archaeologist and prehistorian and coeditor of Regional Approaches to Society and Complexity.
Sarah C. Murray is associate professor of Classics at the University of Toronto, author of Male Nudity in the Greek Iron Age and The Collapse of the Mycenaean Economy, and coeditor of The Cultural History of Augustan Rome.
Sarah C. Murray is associate professor of Classics at the University of Toronto, author of Male Nudity in the Greek Iron Age and The Collapse of the Mycenaean Economy, and coeditor of The Cultural History of Augustan Rome.