Adding Violence Studies to your degree

Study violence at the University of Newcastle

Interested in better understanding violence? Centre members offer an array of courses in their respective disciplines that can be combined into a Violence Studies minor with the Bachelor of Arts. Topics range from youth justice and crime to slavery, war, revolution and fascism. Most courses can be studied fully online.

HIST3006 A History of Violence: From Middle Ages to Modern Times

What is violence? What do we mean by it? Is it innate or learned? Are we becoming more or less violent? These are all questions addressed in this course.

A History of Violence examines the different types of violence that humans have practiced over the centuries, put them into historical context. Together, we try to understand why those different forms of violence are used at particular times, and not others. Why are some kinds of violence are accepted in some parts of the world but not others?

This course explores aspects of human violence in world history from pre-history to the present. Major topics to be addressed include:

  • interpersonal violence
  • state violence
  • crime and criminality
  • sexual violence
  • religious and ritual violence
  • warfare
  • massacre and genocide
  • theories and thinkers of violence
  • representations of violence in film and literature.

Additional courses

For additional violence-related courses see the Violence Studies minor.