Why is collective violence collective?

A theory of collective violence must explain both why it is collective and why it is violent. Whereas my earlier work addresses the question of why co llective violence is violent, here I apply and extend Donald Black's theory of partisanship to the question of why violence collectivizes. I propose i n general that the collectivization of violence is a direct function of str ong partisanship. Strong partisanship arises when third parries (1) support one side against the other and (2) are solidary among themselves. Such sup port occurs when third parties are socially close to one side and remote fr om the ther and when one side has more social status than the other Third p arries are solidary M-hen they are intimate, culturally homogeneous. and in terdependent. I focus in particular on lynching: Lynching is a joint functi on of strong partisanship toward the alleged victim and weak partisanship t oward the alleged offender. Unequal strong partisanship appears in both cla ssic lynchings (of outsiders) and communal lynchings (of insiders) across s ocieties and history. Where partisanship is weak or strong on both sides, l ynching is unlikely to occur. Evidence includes patterns of lynching in var ious tribal societies. the American South, imperial China, and medieval Eur ope.