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Meridional. Chilean Journal of Latin American Studies is pleased to invite you to participate in the dossier “Relevance of Latin American Marxism: Thinking from, with, and beyond Michael Löwy’s work”, which consists in our 21st volume, to be published in October 2023. 

Latin American Violence in Historical Perspective: a Theoretical Proposal Based on Galtung’s Trinity

Authors

Abstract

The primary objective of this work is to analyze violence in Latin America from a historical perspective, utilizing the theoretical framework proposed by Norwegian scholar Johan Galtung. This analysis reveals that violence has been a persistent element in the region's history since pre-Columbian times, a reality that existing literature has either overlooked or insufficiently explored. Both primary and secondary sources from various periods demonstrate that Galtung's trinity of violence (cultural, structural, and direct) is applicable to Latin America, as the current violence in the region is part of a continuous historical process that requires long-term examination.

Keywords:

violence, Latin America, Galtung