SPAN 2008 - Week 1 - Lecture

Histories and Theories of Political Violence

1) Introduction to the theme of political violence

2) Political Violence in Spanish History

3) Course Outline

4) Defining ‘Terrorism’

5) Seminar Readings

1) Introduction to the theme of political violence

‘War (…) a continuation of political activity by other means’

(Carl von Clausewitz, On War, 1832)

What are the roots of violence?

Is violence inherent to human ‘nature’? … to human

societies?

Is it specific to certain historical relationships and in particular power relations?

Is violence ever justifiable?

Is a world without violence possible?

POWER

FORCE

AUTHORITY

COERCION

PERSONAL v. POLITICAL VIOLENCE: e.g torture

2) Political Violence in Spanish History

Spain’s Black Legend …

Barbarian Catholic conquistadors

The Inquisition

Persecution of Muslims and Jews

The Spanish Civil War

Franco’s dictatorship

ETA

3) Course Outline

• ANARCHISM

• FRANCOISM

• ETA / GAL

4) Defining ‘Terrorism’

Term:

-Difficult and problematic use in association with political violence.

-Currently loaded with political and ethical connotations.

Historical roots:

French Revolution: ‘Virtue without Terror is powerless’ (Maximilien Robespierre, Year II – 1793-94)

-19th century Russian Revolutionaries.

5) Seminar Readings for Week 2

Text 1: Julio Arostegui, ‘Violencia, sociedad y politica: la definición de la violencia’ in Aróstegui, ed. Violencia y política en España (Madrid: Marcial Pons, 1994) pp.17-55.

Text 2: Frantz Fanon, ‘Concerning Violence’ in The Wretched of the Earth (London: Penguin, 1967), pp. 27-84.

Film: Gillo Pontecorvo: The Battle of Algiers (1965)

Text (optional): Walter Benjamin (1862-1940): ‘Critique of Violence’ (1921)

TERRORISM

COUNTER-TERRORISM

ANTI-TERRORISM

LIBERATION

IMPERIALISM

FREEDOM-FIGHTERS

DECOLONISATION

TORTURE

POLITICAL VIOLENCE