Affective Dimensions of Political Violence

Affective Dimensions of Political Violence challenges the dominant accounts of political violence, which view it as a is purely rational or structural phenomenon, often dismissing emotions like rage and anger as irrational and therefore apolitical. This book argues emotions become deeply political when they disrupt the order established and maintained by the state —often through violence. Using the case of a lynching in San Juan Ixtayopan, Mexico, the book reconceptualises a form of violence, which is commonly labelled as “criminal” or “barbaric”, as instead an eminently political act performed by marginalised groups as a means of asserting their presence. Drawing on theorists such as René Girard, Michel Foucault, Sara Ahmed and Walter Benjamin, the book provides a phenomenological exploration of violence, linking emotional experiences to neoliberal political conditions. Structured around three core emotions—fear, anger and revenge—it examines moral panics and scapegoating, the spectacle of violence and perceptions of justice. By weaving collective emotions into theories of political violence, this interdisciplinary work offers a fresh way to understand how affects shape violence beyond instrumental logic, contributing to political theory, sociology and feminist readings of violence.