Routine violence: Intersectionality at the interstices

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how routine violence seeps into the interstices of social life. Routine violence is part of a continuum of violence that extends from intimate violence to large-scale wars. It is gendered/racialized/classed and it is often invisible because it is normalized in everyday life.

Design/methodology/approach

Using cases from India we illustrate facets of routine violence and then use the frame to discuss some examples from the United States.

Findings

We discuss the social implications of routine violence including the significant harm on large sections of people in today’s world.

Originality

We meld theoretical discussions about violence associated with states with scholarship on violence against women; we use Indian activists’ concepts of routine violence and examine routine violence in the United States.

Citation

Purkayastha, B. and Ratcliff, K.S. (2014), "Routine violence: Intersectionality at the interstices", Gendered Perspectives on Conflict and Violence: Part B (Advances in Gender Research, Vol. 18B), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 19-43. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-21262014000018B005