The authors' position is that a consideration of social-structural variables is necessary but not sufficient to explain homicide and that theories that include cultural differences among groups offer a promising avenue for advancing an understanding of killing. The authors' previous research supports cultural as well as social-structural interpretations of high homicide rates in the American South. They rely heavily on the literature that links regional homicide to a southern subculture of violence. The sections of this chapter review theoretical positions that link culture and violence, including homicide; introduce Swidler's (1986) idea of culture as a "tool kit" as the most useful conceptualization of how culture affects action; present a model that integrates cultural and structural variables in explaining variations in rates of lethal violence; discuss recent studies that provide advances in understanding the influence of regional culture on homicide in the United States; and suggest avenues for future research. 3 notes and 102 references