Aggression in Global Perspective

Book excerpt: Aggression in Global Perspective attempts to present both an elucidating and a utilitarian picture of aggression in global perspective: elucidating, in that it serves to help deepen the understanding of the meaning and nature of aggression throughout the world; utilitarian, in that its companion focus on aggression controls and alternatives in global perspective actually functions to aid the constructive, prosocial, anti-aggression efforts which do exist, or might exist, to more readily and more fully succeed. The book begins by drawing upon individual cultural perspectives on aggression, aggression control, and aggression alternatives to offer a more unified, global perspective. It compares, contrasts, distills differences and similarities, and suggests specific directions for future research and applied efforts at better understanding of aggression. The chapters which follow describe contemporary manifestations of aggression in a large number of nations representing almost the entire world. These descriptions are placed in a cultural context, providing an understanding of why, for the given country or region, aggression currently assumes particular forms, rates, and intensities. Such contextual information is also utilized in most of the ensuing chapters to aid in understanding how aggression ""fits in"" or is conceptualized in each nation's stream of daily living.