CULTURES OF THE PAST: Old Games–New Meanings? Understanding Modern Gun Violence in the Light of Nineteenth Century Habits: Old Games–New Meanings? Understanding Modern Gun Violence in the Light of Nineteenth Century Habits
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Old Games-New Meanings?Understanding Modern Gun Violence in the Light of Nineteenth Century Habits Cultural practices are part of everyday life.This paper analyzes the link between violence and cultural practice.Via an analytical focus on social practices and interaction theory it argues that cultural patterns of interaction form a set of routines which link micro structures of daily encounters with macro effects (1).It shows that these habitual patterns are closely linked to historical ancestors and gender constructions (2).Finally it explains how habitual patterns and rituals can be linked to the process of historical transformation (3).The paper analyses historical examples of violent behavior in order to offer a fresh perspective on certain widespread behaviors.It demonstrates that in order to understand gun violence of the early 20 th century, the reconstruction and understanding of historical antecedents of contemporary interactions is necessary.Through a close reading and comparison of weaponry practice in the 19 th and 20 th centuries, it becomes clear that modern rituals incorporated elements of the historical habitus.Thus it becomes evident that ritual forms of interaction have the potential to fuse historical patterns with new elements.This is the reason rituals prove essential to modern societies, as they combine elements of continuity and stability with the dynamics of change.
Author: Dagmar Ellerbrock
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W752804225