"If it bleeds, it leads." The phrase captures television news directors' famed preference for opening newscasts with the most violent stories they can find. And what is true for news is often true for entertainment programming, where violence is used as a product to attract both viewers and sponsors. In this book, James Hamilton presents the first major theoretical and empirical examination of the market for television violence. Hamilton approaches television violence in the same way that other economists approach the problem of pollution: that is, as an example of market failure. He argues that television violence, like pollution, generates negative externalities, defined as costs borne by others than those involved in the production activity. Broadcasters seeking to attract viewers may not fully bear the costs to society of their violent programming, if those costs include such factors as increased levels of aggression and crime in society. Hamilton goes on to say that the comparison to pollution remains relevant when considering how to deal with the problem. Approaches devised to control violent programming, such as restricting it to certain times and rating programs according to the violence they contain, have parallels in zoning and education policies designed to protect the environment. Hamilton examines in detail the microstructure of incentives that operate at every level of television broadcasting, from programming and advertising to viewer behavior, so that remedies can be devised to reduce violent programming without restricting broadcasters' right to compete.

Discusses why and how we should rate the content of television programs for violence

If one culprit is suspected above all others for encouraging society to become more violent and unfeeling, it is television. This medium, which has become so pervasive in the last 50 years, seems to play an enormous role in the lives of the vast majority of people. But who controls the content which exerts such an enormous influence and to an extent controls the people? What are they doing now and what will they be doing tomorrow? Is violence essential to sell toothpaste and hamburgers? What are our children becoming and what will their children be like? Will every child carry a gun or other weapon just waiting for someone to trigger their violent nature and ignite their preprogrammed anger?

The reality of violence and the fear it generates is constantly in the news. Terrorist attacks across the world and other abuses of power, such as the sexual abuses in the Catholic Church, the continuance of patriarchalism, racism and the negative effects of globalization highlight the relevance of this book. Here the author uniquely explains these forms of violence in the wider context of their cultural roots.

This book develops a comparative study on violence in Jamaica, El Salvador, and Belize based on a theoretical approach, extensive field research, and in-depth empirical research. It combines the Caribbean and Central America into a single comparative research that explores the historical (from the conquista onwards) as well as contemporary causes of violence in these societies. The volume focuses on forms of violence such as gang violence, police violence, every day forms of violence, vigilantism, and organized crime. The analysis provides a theoretical perspective that bridges political economy as well as cultural approaches in violence research. As such, it will be of interest to readers studying development, violence, political, Central American, and Caribbean studies.

In this book, James Hamilton presents the first major theoretical and empirical examination of the market for television violence. Hamilton examines in detail the microstructure of incentives that operate at every level of television broadcasting, from programming and advertising to viewer behavior, so that remedies can be devised to reduce violent programming without restricting broadcasters' right to compete.

Religion, although in its simplest form a belief or belief in an external force outside of man, is believed to have existed since the existence of man himself. There is a connection in the existence of religion on the one hand with the existence of human culture and civilization on the other. That is, since the beginning of religion or belief included in human life and—the rules—human life already existed in religion. It is very difficult to talk about the relationship between religion and violence. It is difficult in the sense of finding common ground agreed upon by some parties who disagree on this. Phenomenological studies that have been very hard show the relationship between the two is not spared from the reduction process that is criticized by many parties. Instead of seeing that violence is linked to many socio-economic-cultural contexts, phenomenological studies immediately ultimately see religion—its meaning, articulation and implementation—as the main factors that trigger violence. The Scapegoat Theory is one of them. René Girard goes so far as to say that not only does violence seem real and violent because of religion, but even rituals in religion do not escape violence, in this case it is a rite of sacrifice. Therefore, it is not surprising that then what happens to modern society due to the looseness of religious values that are in fact made to reduce and channel this violent desire. His excesses then because violence is not channeled through the realm of neutralization, he then appears in the social realm in the form of acts of violence that are no longer sacred, even considered evil. This book will explore Girard's interpretation of the sacrificial rite, as well as outline how Islam views Qurbani worship. With this we hope that there will be a balance of information about the worship of Sacrifice itself.