The article argues against quantifying approaches to the study of violence which assume a decline of violence throughout history and seem to have gained new momentum with Steven Pinker’s recently published important book. Instead, it explores the continuous and powerful impact of violence in modern history, even though “modern civilized” societies have been officially opposed to violence and its use for centuries. Analyzing particular configurations of violence and its different employments in both Europe and North America against different people and differently perceived bodies this article questions the paradigms of “civilization” and “modernity.” Violence is ren-dered compatible with “modern civilization” through the regularity of its use, through its concealment, and through its deployment against those people who are not perceived as “subjects” and whose lives and suffering are deemed less “grievable” (Judith Butler)
