Violent Interference: Structural Violence, Quantum International Relations, and the Ethics of Entanglement

Abstract Despite frequent reference in both academic and activist contexts, the concept of structural violence still poses a challenge for many ontological, epistemological, political perspectives. While ethical stakes physical are generally accessible, conceptual barriers limit ability to explore important dimensions violence. Inspired by recent interventions into “quantum international relations,” I argue that difficulty understanding is because conventional social science abides Newtonian imaginary. Drawing on Karen Barad's philosophical methodology “diffractive reading,” re-read Johan Galtung's landmark article Violence, Peace, Peace Research through critical quantum social–theoretic lens. Identifying key quantum-like elements theory allows process “quantizing translation,” where concepts freed from constraints science. By approaching as phenomenon, homologous destructive interference, we gain an model. In instances violence, entangled wavefunctions structures interfere destructively with constituent individuals groups limiting spectrum future potentialities. Conversely, privilege describes constructive interference those same extending potentialities other groups. To account multiple intersecting identity standing, intersectional accounts recognize complex interaction interferences at play delimiting spectra