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In contemporary society, aggression has become a prevalent issue that transcends various social settings, including families, marriages, schools, emergency services, public transport, and more. This alarming trend has caught the attention of Wilhelm Heitmeyer, an 80-year-old German sociologist known for his long-term studies on "group-related hostility."
Heitmeyer, a professor at Bielefeld University and former director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence, coined and developed the concept of the "coarsening" (or "Verrohung") of society. This concept refers to a growing trend of intensified hostility, disrespect, and aggressive attitudes in social interactions.
According to Heitmeyer, the coarsening of society is characterized by a decline in mutual respect and an increase in social resentments, discrimination, and group-focused enmity. He observed that people with low social recognition or a declining sense of belonging tend to develop stronger hostile attitudes towards out-groups, such as ethnic minorities, women, or marginalized groups. This group-focused enmity contributes to an overall coarsening climate where aggressive and exclusionary behavior becomes normalized.
Heitmeyer links this growing aggression and social coarsening not only to individual frustrations but to broader structural and social conditions. These include social inequality, perceived threats to one’s social group, and weakening social cohesion. In this perspective, the coarsening of society is both an expression and a consequence of deteriorating social integration and recognition. Such societal trends, according to Heitmeyer, foster environments where aggressive behaviors and conflicts escalate, undermining solidarity and increasing social polarization.
Heitmeyer's work is featured in the left-wing weekly newspaper "wochenour," which discusses the world as it is and as it could be. His findings and perspectives have gained him widespread recognition, building on his previous studies on racism, sexism, and other forms of social conflict.
While the provided search results do not detail specific mechanisms or interventions Heitmeyer proposes, his work situates the increase in social aggression within theories of social identity and recognition, emphasizing the importance of addressing social inequalities and fostering inclusive recognition as paths to mitigate the coarsening of society.
In summary, Wilhelm Heitmeyer describes the increasing aggression in society as a phenomenon of "coarsening" characterized by growing disrespect, discrimination, and group-focused hostility linked to social inequality and loss of recognition among individuals and groups. His work serves as a call to action for policymakers, educators, and society at large to address these issues and promote a more inclusive, respectful, and harmonious society.
[1] Heitmeyer, Wilhelm. "The Coarsening of Society: A Sociological Perspective." wochenour, 2021.
- Wilhelm Heitmeyer's research on 'coarsening' society emphasizes the need for education-and-self-development programs that foster understanding, empathy, and respect, to combat the growing trend of disrespect, discrimination, and group-focused hostility.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, mental-health professionals may find insights in Heitmeyer's work, as his analysis of the 'coarsening' society could provide a foundation for addressing the psychological effects of social aggression and promoting mental well-being in contemporary society.
