Roots of Violence, Seeds of Change

An Occasional Publication for Persons Interested in Violence Prevention
“In order to prevent violence, we have to understand it”
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Volume 1, Number 5 December 2010
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Theory  &  Modeling  Building  in  Social  Work:  

Research  on  the  Meanings  of  Violence  to  Perpetrators  
 
By  Jane  F.  Gilgun,  Ph.D.,  LICSW  
 
I  plan  to  write  a  book  about  violence  based  upon  years  of  interviews  I  have  done  
with  perpetrators  of  interpersonal  violence  and  persons  who  had  risks  for  violence  
but  did  not  commit  violent  acts.  The  purpose  of  this  article  is  to  share  my  thinking  
about  this  book.  I  welcome  comments.    They  will  help  me  write  this  book.  
 
Why  Do  They  Do  It?  
 
The  book  will  show  what  violence  means  to  perpetrators.    It  will  answer  the  
question,   Why   do   they   do   it?     The   book   will   also   place   what   violence   means   to  
perpetrators   into   the   contexts   of   their   lives,   both   past   and   present.   Next,   I   will   show  
that  violent  acts  result  from  interpretations  individuals  make  of  the  events  in  their  
lives.  I  will  then  show  how  their  interpretations  connect  to  widely-­‐held  beliefs  and  
practices.  A  final  section  will  be  on  prevention,  where  I  show  that  violence  is  deeply-­‐
engrained  in  individuals  and  societies  throughout  the  world.  It  may  be  impossible  to  
change  this  beliefs  in  any  global  way.  Instead,  change  will  have  to  take  place  on  the  
local  level,  where  individuals  do  what  they  can  to  shows  that  civility  and  respect  can  
achieve  the  same  goals  as  violence  does.  
 
I   take   critical   perspectives   in   this   book,   meaning   I   will   examine   power  
relations  between  perpetrators  and  victims  in  terms  of  age,  gender,  race,  ethnicity,  
culture,   sexual   and   gender   identity,   and   ability.   Critical   perspectives   guide   the  
section  on  prevention.  I  will  describe  actions  that  individuals  can  take  to  change  the  
social  conditions  and  individual  interpretations  that  lead  to  violent  actions.    
 

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The  Golden  Rule  of  Violence  
 
  Ironically,  the  Golden  Rule  applies  to  violence.  Persons  who  commit  violent  
acts   are   doing   unto   others   what   others   have   done   to   them,   or   at   least   what   they  
believe  others  have  done  to  them.  They  have  internalized  their  own  experiences,  the  
behaviors   and   beliefs   of   significant   others,   and   the   beliefs   and   actions   that   they  
witness   in   various   environments,   including   on   the   internet   and   in   video   games   of  
various  sorts.  
 
The  Premise  of  This  Book  
   
The   premise   of   this   book   is   the   following:   In   order   to   understand   individuals  
and   their   actions,   we   also   have   to   understand   their   interpretations   of   their  
experiences.  Individuals  draw  upon  society  wide-­‐beliefs  and  practices  to  do  so.  They  
draw  upon  beliefs  that  are  most  salient  to  them  and  that  they  have  internalized.      
 
Violence   occurs   because   individuals   anticipate   and   experience   emotional  
gratification   through   their   violence.   They   think   of   short-­‐term   positive   consequences  
for   themselves   and   do   not   think   about   or   dismiss   the   longer-­‐term   negative  
consequences   for   themselves.     Individuals   who   commit   violence   have   a   range   of  
thoughts  about  the  victims  of  their  violence.    
 
Some   believe   victims   deserve   it.   They   my   think   they   are   teaching   a   lesson,  
keeping   victims   in   line.   Others   want   to   hurt   victims   and   see   them   suffer   as   they  
belief  they  have  suffered.  They  sometimes  believe  victims  enjoy  it.  Some  don’t  care  
what  victims  think.  They  want  the  gratification.  Many  feel  remorse  after  the  violent  
act,   but   the   beliefs   about   violence   and   its   gratification   are   so   strong   that   before   long  
they  are  at  it  once  again.  
 
The  Research  Tradition  of  This  Book  
 
  This   book   will   be   based   upon   the   traditions   of   the   Chicago   School   of  
Sociology   (Bulmer,   1984;   Gilgun,   199,   2008,   in   press)   and   American   pragmatism.  
These   tradition   are   intertwined   and   focus   on   understanding   the   meanings   of  
individual  experiences  from  the  points  of  view  of  individuals.  In  order  to  under  the  
experiences   of   others,   researchers   participate   vicariously   in   the   accounts   of   their  
lives   others   provide.   In   the   words   of   Robert   Park,   an   originator   of   the   Chicago  
School,  researchers  must  think  and  feel  like  the  persons  on  whom  they  do  research.  
 
  Researchers’   understandings   of   experience   are   not   confined   to   individuals  
because   this   tradition   assumes   that   persons   are   inseparable   from   their   contexts,  
that   individuals   interact   with   others   in   various   contexts,   and   that   these   various  
interactive   processes   give   rise   to   individual   belief   systems   and   to   socio-­‐cultural  
beliefs  and  practices  that  individuals  shape  and  that  shape  individuals.    
 

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   I   also   practice   the   Chicago   School   principle   of   immersion,   where   the  
interviews   I   conducted   were   in-­‐depth,   often   multiple   that   sometimes   took   place  
over  months.  By  doing  this,  I  developed  in-­‐depth  accounts  that  research  participants  
provided.    I  also  sought  multiple  points  of  view,  interviewing  not  only  perpetrators  
of  interpersonal  violence,  but  survivors,  spouses,  and  parents  of  perpetrators.  In  this  
way,  I  will  convey  the  multiple  points  of  view  on  interpersonal  violence.  
 
  Human   actions   and   the   meanings   that   individuals   attribute   to   experiences  
are   understood   in   relationship   to   familial,   social,   and   culture-­‐based   themes   and  
practices   that   arise   out   of   collectivities   of   thoughts   and   beliefs.     Cognitive   science,  
particularly   neuroscience   and   schema   theory,   helps   flesh   out   the   general   ideas   of  
interactions   between   persons   and   environments.   I   will   use   these   theories   in   the  
present  proposed  book.  
 
  Within   the   interactionist   framework   of   the   Chicago   School,   the   intangibles   of  
human  experience,  such  as  hopes,  emotions,  and  thoughts,  are  subject  to  empirical  
investigation.   Words   or   language,   therefore,   take   a   central   place   in   these  
philosophies   of   science   because   language   constructs   these   “intangibles.”   In   fact,  
Dilthey   (1961)   identified   philology,   or   the   study   of   language,   as   a   cornerstone  
discipline   for   understanding   human   experience.   He   also   stated   that   anthropology,  
which   studies   human   beings   as   inseparable   from   their   context,   is   another  
cornerstone   discipline   for   the   pursuit   of   understanding   experience.     While   my   work  
is   not   anthropological,   it   does,   as   already   discussed,   views   human   beings   as  
inseparable  from  their  contexts.  
 
  Words  are  not  neutral  but  encode  culturally-­‐based  meanings  that  individuals  
interpret   according   to   their   own   worldviews.     Interpretations,   therefore,   are   an  
important  part  of  the  meanings  that  individuals  attribute  to  their  experience.    It  is  
experience,   encoded   in   language,   that   researchers   want   to   understand.    
Understanding  of  experiences  in  Dilthey’s  (1961)  terms  requires  the  study  of  human  
actions,  of  how  human  beings  express  their  experiences,  the  meanings  they  attach  to  
their  experiences,  and  their  observation  of  the  effects  of  their  actions  on  others  (p.  
71).   By   their   actions,   viewed   as   taking   place   in   particular   multi-­‐layered   situations,  
we  understand  other  people’s  beliefs  and  our  own.    
 
  In   addition   to   the   above   principles   that   it   shares   with   interactionism,  
American   pragmatism   has   an   explicit   values   base   that   includes   concerns   for   social  
justice,   equality,   and   the   common   good.   Often   terms   the   philosophy   of   democracy,  
pragmatism   guides   researchers   to   understand   human   situations   on   multiple  
interacting  levels  through  the  use  of  this  values  framework  and  the  to  take  action  to  
create  fairness,  equality,  and  common  good.  
 
  I  will  also  use  critical  discourse  analysis  (Wodak  &  Meyers,  2009)  to  identify  
and   describe   connections   between   individual   actions   and   the   various   contexts   in  
which  they  live  their  lives.  Language  connects  personal  beliefs  and  actions  to  wide-­‐

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spread   cultural   beliefs   and   practices.     Both   American   pragmatism   and  
interactionism   believe   that   language   is   a   symbol   of   systems   that   connects  
individuals  and  social  systems  such  as  families,  communities,  and  institutions.  
 
  Consistent  with  the  traditions  of  interactionism  and  pragmatism,  I  will  write  
in   the   first   person   and   describe   my   experiences   of   participating   vicariously   in   the  
stories   that   perpetrators   tell.   This   is   tough   to   do   when   the   topic   is   interpersonal  
violence,   but   I   toughed   it   out.   I   will   describe   what   it   is   like   to   participate   vicariously  
in  violent  acts  and  how  I  discovered  the  hidden  violence  in  my  own  heart.  
  Again   consistent   with   Chicago   School   traditions,   I   will   use   styles   of   writing  
that  invite  readers  into  the  experiences  I  am  describing  and  interpreting.  I  will  use  
techniques   of   creative   non-­‐fiction,   such   as   story-­‐telling,   vivid   language,   and  
depictions  of  tensions  and  multiple  points  of  view.    
 
Plan  of  the  Book  
 
The   first   part   of   the   book   will   present   the   meanings   of   violence   to  
perpetrators   of   several   kinds   of   interpersonal   violence:   incest,   child   molestation,  
rape,   physical   violence   against   women   and   men,   attempted   murder,   and   murder.   I  
will   organize   these   accounts   by   themes.   I   will   show   the   commonalities   and  
differences  across  these  different  types  of  violence.  
 
Since  the  accounts  of  individuals  are  inseparable  from  the  interactions  with  
others   they   have   had   over   their   lifetimes   and   the   interpretations   of   these  
interactions,   I   will   then   contextualize   these   accounts   with   the   life   histories   of  
persons  who  first  described  what  violence  means  to  them.  I  will  focus  on  what  these  
experiences  mean  to  perpetrators.  
 
Next  I  will  connect  the  meanings  of  violence  and  the  life  histories  of  persons  
who  have  committed  violent  acts  to  themes  and  practices  that  are  society-­‐wide.  In  
this   way,   I   demonstrate   that   persons   who   commit   violent   acts   are   not   isolated   in  
their  beliefs  and  behaviors  but  act  on  beliefs  that  many  people  have.  I  will  describe  
the   powerful   social   forces   that   ensure   that   violent   behaviors   are   difficult   if   not  
impossible  to  change  because  they  are  so  deeply  engrained  in  societies  worldwide.    
 
Violence   and   manhood,   violence   and   entitlement,   violence   as   gratification,  
and   violence   as   revenge   are   far   too   difficult   to   change.     It   is   easy   for   people   to   abuse  
the   power   they   have   over   others.   Power,   privilege,   and   prestige   are   distributed   in  
society   according   to   gender,   income,   race,   ethnicity,   culture,   sexual   and   gender  
identity,   and   ability.   I   will   show   how   unequal   power   is   a   factor   in   the   commission   of  
violent  acts.  
 
The  final  section  of  the  book  will  be  devoted  to  prevention.  The  suggestions  
for  prevention  in  this  book  are  actions  for  individuals  to  take  within  the  contexts  of  
their  lives.  Through  multiple,  local  efforts,  there  is  some  hope  that  individuals  will  

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find  more  reward  in  conducting  themselves  civilly  to  get  what  they  want  rather  than  
to  get  what  they  want  through  disrespect,  degradation,  and  humiliation  of  others.    
 
Respect  for  the  power  some  individuals  have  over  others  must  be  substituted  
for   abuse   of   power.   Persons   who   do   so   require   rewards   that   are   similar   to   the  
rewards   they   receive   when   they   get   what   they   want   through   the   abuse   of   their  
power.  
 
What  people  want  from  violence  is  to  live  lives  of  dignity  and  to  have  respect.  
They   also   want   to   change   the   behaviors   of   others   whom   they   perceive   are  
disrespectful.   They   often   want   to   experience   the   superiority   they   feel   when   the  
crush   others.   I   hope   that   this   book   shows   that   the   ends   do   not   justify   the   means.  
There  are  other  ways  besides  violence  to  ensure  lives  of  dignity  and  respect.  
 
Change  is  Possible  on  the  Local  Level  
 
  Change   is   possible   on   the   individual   and   local   level   if   individuals   do   what  
they   can   over   a   long   period   of   time.   Concerned   persons   can   make   a   difference   in  
their   own   lives.   They   can   identity   and   control   their   own   pro-­‐violence   beliefs   and  
practices  and  the  gratification  they  get  from  them.  They  can  teach  their  children  by  
word  and  deed  how  to  get  what  they  want  through  respect  and  civility  and  without  
disrespecting  and  degrading  others,  even  if  they  only  show  disrespect  and  degrade  
others  through  words  and  not  through  actions.      
 
The   Golden   Rule   applies   here.   If   people   are   treated   with   love   and   kindness  
within   their   own   families   from   birth   and   with   dignity   and   respect   by   others   outside  
of  families,  they  are  unlikely  to  take  on  beliefs  about  the  worth  of  violence.    
 
Professionals   in   their   various   domains   can   set   rules   of   civility   and   reward  
those  who  follow  them.  This  includes  classroom  teachers,  managers,  and  others  in  
authority.  In  the  absence  of  such  rules,  individuals  can  set  their  own  personal  rules  
to   respect   others   and   afford   them   dignity.   They   can   reward   themselves   by   telling  
themselves  they  are  doing  the  right  thing.  
 
Respect   and   dignity   are   hard   to   legislate   and   enforce,   but   public   policy   can  
support   programs   that   promote   the   dignity   and   worth   of   individuals   and   that  
withhold   rewards   from   programs   that   do   not   do   so,   force   their   closure,   and   transfer  
their  activities  to  programs  that  are  respectful  of  human  dignity.  
 
  Marketing   campaigns   could   show   the   advantages   of   civility,   dignity,   and  
respect  in  order  to  get  civility,  dignity,  and  respect.  
 
  Such   efforts   could   make   civility   more   attractive   than   violence,   especially   if  
through   being   civil   people   feel   the   emotional   gratification   they   experience   when  
they  commit  violent  acts.  

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Summary  
 
This  book  will  center  on  the  question,  why  do  they  do  it?  That  is,  the  
meanings  of  violence  to  perpetrators.  It  will  extend  to  the  interpersonal  influences  
on  the  development  of  violent  behaviors  in  families  and  communities  and  then  to    
culturally-­‐based  beliefs  and  practices  about  violence.  I  will  use  critical  theory  and  
critical  discourse  approaches  to  my  analysis.    
 
I  will  draw  lessons  for  prevention  from  this  analysis.  Prevention  efforts  are  
likely  to  be  most  effective  if  they  are  local.  This  means  that  individuals  within  their  
own  lives  can  take  concrete  steps  to  stop  pro-­‐violence  thinking  and  actions  and  
substitutes  the  rewards  of  violence  for  the  rewards  of  civility.  
 
References  
 
Bulmer,  Martin.  (1984).  The  Chicago  School  of  Sociology:  Institutionalization,  
diversity,  and  the  rise  of  sociological  research.    Chicago:  University  of  Chicago  
Press.  
 Blumer,  Herbert  (1969/1986).  Symbolic  interactionism:  Perspective  and  method.  
Berkeley:  University  of  California  Press.  
Bogdan,  Robert  C.  &  Sari  Knopp  Biklen  (2007).  Qualitative  research  for  education:  An  
introduction  to  theories  and  methods  (5th  ed).  Boston:  Pearson.    
Denzin,  Norman  K.    (1989)  Interpretive  interactionism.  Thousand  Oaks,  CA:  Sage  for  
much  of  the  thinking  and  language  in  this  statement.  
Dewey,  John  (1958).  Experience  and  nature.  New  York:  Dover.  
Dilthey,  Wilhelm  (1962).  Pattern  &  meaning  in  history:  Thoughts  on  history  and  society.  
(H.P.  Hickman,  ed.).  New  York:  Harper  &  Row.  
Gilgun,  Jane  F.    (1992).  Definitions,  methods,  and  methodologies  in  qualitative  family  
research.    In  Jane  F.  Gilgun,  Kerry  Daly,  and  Gerald  Handel  (Eds.),  Qualitative  
methods  in  family  research  (pp.  22-­‐41).    Newbury  Park,  CA:  Sage.  
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Gilgun, Jane F. (2008). On being shit: Unkind deeds & cover-ups in everyday life.

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About OBS Express

The OBS Express is a newsletter that appears occasionally to call out perpetrators
of unkind deeds and cover-ups, to celebrate those who stand up to perpetrators, and to
recognize perpetrators who change their ways. This story celebrates a man who stood up
to bad behaviors. Jane Gilgun is the editor-in-chief.

This article is inspired by On Being a Shit: Unkind Deeds & Cover-Ups in

Everyday Life, which is available on Amazon Kindle, scribd.com, and other internet
booksellers for a variety of e-readers and mobile devices and as a soft cover on lulu.com
and other booksellers.

About This Publication

Roots of Violence, Seeds of Change is an occasional publication for persons

interested in violence prevention. In order to prevent violence, we have to understand it.
Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW, is the editor and publisher. To submit articles to this
publication, Professor Gilgun cordially invites researchers to email brief articles of three
to five pages to her at jgilgun@umn.edu.

About the Author

Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW, is a professor, School of Social Work, University

of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. See Professor Gilgun’s other articles, books, &

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children’s stories on scribd.com, Kindle, and iBooks for a variety of mobile devices. She
has done research on the meanings of violence to perpetrators for many years and on
many other aspects of violence.

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