Theatre of the Street

Antoon Vrints, Ph. D. (2006), Ghent University, is Associate Professor of Social History at that university. He has published monographs and many articles on the First World War and on crime and criminal justice history, including De overlevenden. De Belgische oud-strijders tijdens het interbellum (Polis, 2018).

• List of Figure and TablesList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1 A Controversial Issue2 Violence as a Significant Social Phenomenon3 The Empirical Basis4 Structure of This Book1 Life on a Stage1.1 Introduction1.2 A Public Existence1.3 Openness, Reputation and Reciprocity1.4 Honour Fights1.5 Between Self-Regulation and Disciplination by an Outside Agency1.6 Revenge, Social Standing and Violence1.7 Violence as a Means of Social Control?1.8 Domestic Squabbles and Respectability1.9 Sexual Violence, Shame and Discretion1.10 Conclusion2 The Rules of the Game2.1 Ritual Interaction2.2 The Power of Language2.3 Expressive Body Language2.4 Violation and Defilement2.5 Territorial Strategies2.6 The Rules of the Duel2.7 Conclusion3 Men’s and Women’s Roles3.1 Introduction3.2 Men and Women in Battle3.3 Men’s and Women’s Language3.4 Men’s and Women’s Places?3.5 Conclusion4 Repertoires of Respectability4.1 Introduction4.2 Group-Specific Behavioural Patterns4.3 Shifts over Time?4.4 Possible Explanations for Behavioural Shifts4.5 Conclusion5 Values behind Words5.1 Insults, Values and Identification5.2 The Sexual Reputation of Men and Women5.3 Purity and Respectability5.4 The Established and the Outsiders5.5 About “coward”, “thief” and Other Insults5.6 Conclusion: Substantive Stability?General Conclusion1 Public Violence and Social Ties: a Theatre with a Message and an Audience2 Public Violence and Social Stratification: Theatre of the Common People3 Public Violence and Social Meaning: Honour and Shame at Stake4 Epilogue: Public Violence, from Theatre to Misunderstood SpectacleSources and BibliographySubjectsModern Authors