A Fiery and Furious People

The history of violence has grown exponentially over the past two decades. As one of the pioneering scholars in the field, James Sharpe is well placed to take stock. His book is the first study of violence in England to span the period between the late Middle Ages and the present. Vividly written, attractively produced and competitively priced, Sharpe’s book is aimed at the general reader, but even specialist researchers will find much here that is new and thought-provoking, while chapters on well-established topics such as infanticide and the rise and fall of duelling will undoubtedly serve as a very useful introductory guide for undergraduates. Defining violence—more narrowly than some prominent philosophers and social scientists—as ‘the use of physical force to injure or damage people or property, or ... language or behaviour that threatens to do so’, Sharpe acknowledges that, while violence is frequently derided as ‘meaningless’ or ‘mindless’, most acts of violence take place for a reason. The meanings of violence to those involved, and the ways in which these meanings have changed over time, are among Sharpe’s central concerns in this book. His focus includes ‘everyday’ acts of violence between individuals and small groups; state-sponsored violence, including judicial killings; and collective violence—the outbreaks of rioting and looting in London in 2011 are tellingly contrasted with both the Gordon Riots of 1780 and the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. The violence of war is excluded, as is the violence of empire

Criminology · Genealogy · Gothic Literature and Media Analysis · History · Psychology