# Do governments and societies need enemies?

- Institution: Gresham College
- Speaker: Professor Rodney Barker
- Year: 2007
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Society and politics, Philosophy
- Source: [Gresham College](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/do-governments-and-societies-need-enemies)
- Licence: [Educational use (Gresham College's terms)](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

This lecture explores the ways in which political enemies are described and portrayed, and the extent to which this functions to sustain social cohesion and justify the powers of government.

## Lectures

1. [Do governments and societies need enemies?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/do-governments-and-societies-need-enemies/69e2a0a65196) (YouTube)