The United States and Conflict: How Embracing Struggle Can Make Us Better
Does the United States need war or conflict? This survey examines qualitative and quantitative research on the effects of war on soldiers, civilians, culture, and societies. In evaluating data from many sources, the author concludes that while violent acts are harmful to the human experience there are in fact many individual and collective benefits to social conflict and social struggles. A pronounced benefit is the unifying effect of social conflict in contradiction to the assumed divisive nature of social struggles. This evaluation and explanation have significant implications for a culturally, socio-economically, ethnically, and politically diverse nation such as the United States of America.
IDS 251, Ideas Matter: Engaging American Thought & Culture
Brian Mills
Bucher Room
10 – 10:30 AM