The State and Violence

This course explores how genocide and other forms of mass violence have shaped political systems and societies from antiquity to the present. By tracing how the meaning and use of violence have changed over time—from ancient city-states and medieval religious orders to the modern state’s monopoly on violence—you gain insight into how power, identity, religion, and citizenship have been organised and legitimised. The course highlights how shifting political structures and ideas have influenced both the function of violence and perceptions of the state’s right to use it. Upon completion, you will be able to identify major historical developments, explain how structural and intellectual changes affect expressions of violence, and analyse how state–citizen relations have evolved across time. The course provides a solid foundation for further studies on genocide and other forms of mass violence in specific historical, cultural, and political contexts.