Mission Statement and Goals
The study of interpersonal violence focuses on perpetrators and/or victims and addresses the causes, effects, treatment, and prevention of all types of violence, including (but not limited to) domestic violence, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault, physical child abuse, and violent crime. However, interpersonal violence has historically been studied within myriad disciplines and via multiple perspectives and approaches (see Table 1). Thus, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary scholarship which cuts across these dimensions has great potential to promote the development of more powerful theories and more effective approaches to prevention and intervention. Such collaborative scholarship thus advances science and public health.
Table 1: Examples of different disciplines, perspectives, and approaches of interpersonal violence research
Silos | Examples |
Disciplines | Psychology, Criminal Justice, Public Health, Sociology, Social Work, Neuroscience |
Levels of analysis | Biological, Individual, Community, Societal |
Developmental level | Adults, Adolescents, Children |
Theoretical | Behavioral, Sociological, Biopsychosocial |
Forms | Physical, Sexual, Verbal, Psychological |
Targets of aggression | Family members (e.g., children, intimate partners), Women, Minorities |
Context | Home, School, College Campus, Public Settings (e.g., bars) |
Methodological approach | Qualitative, Correlational, Longitudinal, Experimental |
As such, the overarching mission of the Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence is to promote collaboration and interdisciplinary scholarship among scholars who differ along these dimensions that will ultimately prevent or reduce interpersonal violence. More specifically, the Center aims to establish collaborative research teams that facilitate discourse, generate innovative new scholarship, and support the training of new scholars in the field. These goals are specified below:
Goal #1: Establish an internationally recognized Center of Excellence that aims to (1) understand the causes and consequences of interpersonal violence, (2) emphasize the development, refinement, and evaluation of interventions to reduce or prevent interpersonal violence, and (3) inform public policy.
Goal #2: Establish an interdisciplinary network of core faculty and other GSU scholars that will foster creative and innovative critical research to address the epidemic of interpersonal violence.
Goal #3: Generate collaborative scholarship that will have a significant public health impact by advancing our understanding of the etiology and prevention of interpersonal violence.
Goal #4: Attract competitively selected undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students and foster their professional development as researchers via broad, rigorous, and interdisciplinary training activities within the field of interpersonal violence.