Elias's original synthesis of sociology and psychology is examined through an analysis of several key texts includingThe Civilizing Process, The Established and the Outsiders andThe Germans. Fletcher shows how Elias constructs his "figurational models" and applies these comparatively to specific historical examples drawn from England and Germany.

Violence and Civilization is an excellent introduction to Elias's work. It will appeal to students of sociology, anthropology, and history interested in understanding the phenomenon of violence in the modern world.

Acknowledgements ix

1 Introduction 1

2 Civilization, Habitus and Civilizing Processes 6

The development of civilization as a concept 6

Changes in social and individual habitus 10

Socialization, aggression and shame 21

3 Violence, Habitus and State Formation 31

Violence monopolies and pacification 31

Linearity, development and evolution 39

On the concepts of violence and civilization 45

4 Identity, Violence and Process Models 55

Interdependence, social bonds and the weI balance 55

Established-outsider relations 70

Criteria of civilizing and decivilizing processes 82

5 Social Habitus and Civilizing Processes in England 88

State formation and pacification 89

Public opinion and national ideals 96

Sport and violence: the example of foxhunting 107

6 Nationalism and Decivilizing Processes in Germany 116

State formation and national identification 117

Violence in the imperial establishment 123

Violence in the Weimar Republic 134

7 Genocide and Decivilizing Processes in Germany 148

National ideals and the rise of the Nazis 148

Mass murder and national we-identity 158

Civilization, modernity and decivilizing processes 166

8 Elias on Violence, Civilization and Decivilization 176

Notes 185

References 197

Index 209