Direct violence is observable harm caused by an identifiable actor, structural violence results from institutions or systems that systematically disadvantage people, and cultural violence consists of beliefs or representations that make violence appear legitimate or normal. For both SL and HL, these are contested meanings within the Peace and Conflict thematic study.
The Three Forms of Violence
This framework is associated with Johan Galtung and is often represented as a violence triangle. Direct violence is visible, while structural and cultural violence may be less visible but help create conditions in which direct violence occurs.
| Form | Defining feature | Contemporary example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct violence | An actor inflicts identifiable physical or psychological harm. | In 2017, Myanmar's military carried out killings, sexual violence, and village destruction against the Rohingya. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh. |
| Structural violence | Political, legal, or economic structures prevent groups from meeting basic needs or accessing equal opportunities. | Myanmar's 1982 Citizenship Law excluded most Rohingya from full citizenship. This restricted their movement, education, healthcare, and political participation. |
| Cultural violence | Ideas, language, religion, media, or ideology justify direct or structural violence. | Anti-Rohingya nationalist rhetoric portrayed the Muslim minority as foreign and threatening. In 2018, Facebook acknowledged that its platform had been used to spread hatred during the crisis. |
The three forms can reinforce one another. In Myanmar, discriminatory citizenship structures marginalized the Rohingya, hostile narratives reduced public resistance to that exclusion, and military forces then committed direct violence in 2017.
A common misconception is that violence means only physical attack. In IB Global Politics, violence also includes systemic inequality and cultural narratives when they cause harm or legitimize harmful power relationships.
Exam Technique
In a Paper 2 response, do not merely define the three terms. Use a specific case to analyse their interaction, then evaluate whether reducing direct violence is sufficient without changing the structures and narratives sustaining it. This demonstrates AO3 synthesis and evaluation while connecting violence to power, legitimacy, and interdependence.