Abstract

Brazil experiences a state of endemic violence with dozens of thousands of people murdered each year. The present work explored how this fact is nurtured by an ethos of conflict. The characteristics of the conflictual phenomenon, with connections to the state itself, make the division between the many groups blurred, although the structuring features of a conflict-supportive narrative operate to justify, explain, and keep a violent ambience. Bar-Tal's theoretical framework on the ethos of conflict is employed to map in a set of semi-structured interviews eight societal beliefs themes that structure a narrative supporting the culture of violence.