Angels, Illusions, Hydras, and Chimeras: Violence and Humanity

Abstract

Anthropology has long been interested in violence and human nature. Drawing on the research of two recent volumes, this review article considers current scholarship on the subject. At its heart, this topic deals squarely with a question that has been posed for millennia. Are forms of violence attributable to the human condition, or are they the products of cultural development, behaviors that can be controlled, mitigated, and unlearned? The arguments presented in these two volumes have implications not only for how we view humanity's past and present, but also for how we anticipate manifestations of violence in our future.

KEYWORDS:

• anthropology
• human nature
• peace
• violence
• war

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Michael Harkin for the opportunity to write this review article and for all his help during the writing process. I greatly appreciate the constructive comments provided by three anonymous reviewers, which served to strengthen this article. Any errors within it are my own. Lastly, I would like to dedicate this article to the memory of my late friend and colleague, Neil L. Whitehead. Though his passing represents a tremendous loss to anthropology, his beacon will continue to shine brilliantly as inspiration for so many, including myself.