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Culture of Honor and Defensive Violence in the American South

Logan, Michael Culture of Honor and Defensive Violence in the American South. 2015. Radford University,

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Abstract

The Southern region of the United States has experienced historically high rates of violent crime, especially homicide. The current study focuses on cultural explanations of Southern violence. The culture of honor is often conceptualized as a set of values related to protecting ones’ honor. This study moves beyond this framework and conceptualizes culture as a toolkit that provides individuals with strategies of action. Quantitative data obtained from an online survey of participant responses to vignettes concerning potential conflict situations are analyzed to explore to whom and when violence is an acceptable action. The common perception is that cultural values in the South encourage violence. Findings from this study demonstrate that specific cultural resources, which are unbound by region, are more likely to be associated with support for defensive violence.

Item Type: Thesis
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Radford University > College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > Department of Criminal Justice
Date Deposited: 16 Jun 2015 13:15
Last Modified: 20 Apr 2023 18:19
URI: http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/183

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