TOME RAIDER: Identity and Violence

Like many who see so much of our world falling prey to violence and depravity, Lamont University Professor and Nobel Prize-winner Amartya L. Sen is searching for an explanation for how otherwise rational people can turn against their neighbors and commit heinous acts of cruelty.

In “Identity and Violence,” his latest book, Sen argues that “violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people.” Using historical examples and a personable style, Sen creates a simple yet powerful discourse on individual choice and identity that offers valuable insight on people from all social and political contexts.

Sen presents a cogent theory about the structure of modern society by positing that each person has many ways to define him- or herself—nationality, gender, religion, and ethnicity being among the almost infinite possibilities.

The crux of Sen’s argument lies with the idea that “the importance of one identity need not obliterate the importance of others.” Sen writes that, instead, people must exercise discretion as to how these multiple identities will interact and which will be privileged in different settings.

Though Sen examines contemporary situations, he continually returns to historical examples in which recognition of multiple identities averted tragedy. For example, early Islamic leaders defended both their faith and religious diversity within their kingdoms.

The connections between such examples and modern events often seem tenuous. Still, Sen’s demonstration of how the concept of group identity can be manipulated has obvious applications to such subjects as Rwandan genocide and Al Qaeda terrorism.

Sen offers his most profound observation when he addresses current attempts to decrease inter-group tensions in countries like Britain, where immigrant groups have not been able to fully assimilate.

According to Sen, when governments support moderate voices within religious factions, they “bolster and strengthen the voice of religious authorities while downgrading the importance of nonreligious institutions and movements.” This policy assumes that people prioritize religion above all else and therefore feeds the roots of discontent—even when the state intends to do the opposite.

Sen’s work is a part of the “Issues of Our Times” series, which features books written by preeminent scholars for the general reader. Though his thorough argument could potentially intimidate such a reader, Sen makes a concerted effort to write accessibly and is largely successful in creating an engaging narrative without oversimplifying the issues at hand.

While there are sections in which Sen lapses into obtuse academic language, he is generally able to overcome these faults. By relying heavily on personal anecdotes, historical evidence, and literary references, Sen appeals to a wide array of readers with varying backgrounds and levels of familiarity with current events.

If there is one failure in Sen’s book, it is that it becomes repetitive.

As Sen acknowledges in the preface, “Idenity and Violence” began as a series of lectures that he presented in response to the violence springing up around the world. While Sen presents a clear thesis and trajectory at the outset of “Identity and Violence,” the individual pieces of Sen’s argument overlap in many chapters and try the patience of the reader. Sen’s main argument is carefully presented and defended throughout the book, but could be just as persuasive at half the length.

Nevertheless, the questions that Sen poses are essential if there is to be any progress in combating the senseless and seemingly intractable violence in the world today. As Sen argues at the conclusion of his book, the end of violence is not near, but that there are practical steps that people can take.

Sen believes that fostering debate about identity and the choices of allegiance that people make will allow us to break down assumptions and improve global communication. “Identity and Violence” provokes readers and may well serve as the catalyst for debate that Sen desires.