Introduction

Violence has always been one of the underlying characteristics of social life. While appearing in diverse, historically determined forms, it is found in all societies, including global society, in which it is present both in its traditional configurations (connected to frontiers, wars, terrorism, ethnic-religious conflicts and identity) and in global, systemic configurations. As an analytical category and as a phenomenon linked to deviation, conflict, power and rights, violence has been widely dealt with in social sciences. Its range of relevance, how- ever, has been studied less frequently in relation to the variety of its forms, and its relationship with order and social change. The contribution presented here is detailed study on diverse aspects of violence, including its metamorphoses in the contemporary world.