Research on violence in Western societies has increased in recent years. The reasons for this development are manifold ranging from the rise of certain patterns of violence, or a new sensitivity in the population, to a return of atavistic forms of violence, and a shift to new societal areas of violent activities. What has been missing to date, however, is a systematic overview of the relevant findings in various academic disciplines. "The International Handbook of Violence Research" aims to fill this gap. This important handbook: brings together 62 articles written by famous authors from ten different countries; describes the long term development of relevant research and addresses current tendencies; pays special attention to sociological research, i.e. to violence as a social phenomenon; deals with various socio-structural relations and their impact on violence, socialization and the learning of violence, experiences of violence and violent activities, results of victimology, violence in the public space, and the use of violence by political groups or by state institutions; covers the whole dynamic process of violent activities: discourses, justifications, and interpretations of violence; provides analysis based on socio-psychological, historical, political and legal research or with a background in socio-biology or cultural studies; and, paints a complex picture that displays an area of complicated research on questions of order, destruction and power. "The International Handbook of Violence Research" is extremely relevant to those working in the areas of criminology, sociology, social science and law.