NATIONAL GUARD AND THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF VIOLENCE - THE TEMPORAL DIMENSIONS OF THE RADICALIZATION OF CROWD PARTICIPANTS

• NCJ Number: 43751
• Journal: Sociological Symposium Issue: 18 Dated: (SPRING 1977) Pages: 48-65
• Author(s): D A DUKES; J M LEWIS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: North Central Sociological Assoc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS IS A REVISION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE NORTH CENTRAL SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, MAY 1975

Annotation

HYPOTHESES REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AND POLICE ON THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR OF PARTICIPANTS IN DEMONSTRATIONS ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

THE CONCEPTS OF VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL VIOLENCE ARE DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE USE OF VIOLENCE BY NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY IN 1970. PACIFICATION, RADICALIZATION, AND 'NO EFFECT' THEORIES CONCERNING THE EFFECTS OF SUCH VIOLENCE ON PROTESTORS ARE CONSIDERED. PROPOSITIONS ARE SET FORTH REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL CONTROL VIOLENCE ON THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR OF PROTESTORS, AND HYPOTHESES REGARDING THE IMMEDIATE, SHORT-RANGE, LONG-RANGE, AND ULTIMATE EFFECTS OF SUCH VIOLENCE ARE DEVELOPED. EXAMINATION OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE PERTINENT TO EACH HYPOTHESIS LEADS TO THE CONCLUSION THAT RADICALIZATION OF PROTESTORS IS THE EXPECTED AND DEMONSTRATED EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTROL VIOLENCE IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG RANGE. METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT RADICALIZATION IS ALSO THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT ON ATTITUDES. THE IMMEDIATE BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF SOCIAL CONTROL VIOLENCE MAY APPEAR TO GUARDSMEN AS PACIFICATION, BECAUSE BEHAVIORAL RADICALIZATION IS OVERRIDDEN BY THE RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE AS A PERCEIVED DISASTER. THE PURPOSES OF SOCIAL CONTROL MAY APPEAR TO BE MET IN SUCH SITUATIONS, BUT THE LESS OBVIOUS AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT RADICALIZATION OF ATTITUDES MAY ALSO BE TAKING PLACE. THE IMMEDIATE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE OF PROTESTORS TO VIOLENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AND POLICE IS TRANSIENT, SOON GIVING WAY TO HELPING BEHAVIOR THAT STRENGTHENS TIES AMONG THE PROTESTORS AND, LATER, TO SHORT-RANGE RADICALIZATION OF ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR. IF DEMONSTRATORS CAN BE DISPERSED WITHOUT VIOLENCE, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO RECONVENE AND TO BE RADICALIZED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).