Overview

Why do we--not the politicians or the generals, but ordinary people--so often and so willingly support war, in the west and elsewhere? In search of an answer to that question, this book explores topics such as the personal appeal of war and wartime, the role of nationalism and other values in defense of which wars are fought, war as a male enterprise, images of the enemy, militarism and society, the role of propaganda, and the moral dilemma posed by war. While a focus on the public's attitude to war has been surprisingly neglected in psychology, this book combines psychology's few direct contributions on the subject with psychological theories to answer the book's key question. These theories include social identity, interpersonal contact, moral disengagement, system justification, relational models, and spiral conflict theories, plus concepts such as the authoritarian personality, social dominance orientation, and cognitive complexity versus simplicity. The book concludes by presenting an integration in the form of a Model of War Support, helping us understand one of the great issues facing us all, and opening up a relatively new area of psychology.

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9780197676752

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Reviews

"Professor Orford's work illustrates the psychological dynamics that lead public to support militaristic policies and practices. In particular, it helps the reader to understand how the ""national security"" discourse is maintained by perceptions of intergroup threat and often fabricated accounts of ""national insecurity"". On the Warpath is a very important contribution to the literature. * Serdar M. Değirmencioğlu, Ph.D., Goethe University Frankfurt a.M. * If we can understand the psychological roots of war, then perhaps we can employ that understanding to diminish the human propensity to wage war. Professor Orford gives us blueprint for doing just that. This engaging and brilliantly written book is a must read for those who champion peace over war. * Michael D. Matthews, Professor of Engineering Psychology, West Point * Professor Orford's work provides thoughtful, well-documented, comprehensive, and actionable explanations to why we continue to choose to wage war. The information in this book is very consequential: whether we choose or reject war may determine the fate of humanity. * Alice LoCicero, Ph.D., Clinical Faculty, The Wright Institute *"

"""If we can understand the psychological roots of war, then perhaps we can employ that understanding to diminish the human propensity to wage war. Professor Orford gives us blueprint for doing just that. This engaging and brilliantly written book is a must read for those who champion peace over war."" -- Michael D. Matthews, Professor of Engineering Psychology, West Point""Professor Orford's work provides thoughtful, well-documented, comprehensive, and actionable explanations to why we continue to choose to wage war. The information in this book is very consequential: whether we choose or reject war may determine the fate of humanity."" -- Alice LoCicero, Ph.D., Clinical Faculty, The Wright Institute"

Author Information

Jim Orford is Emeritus Professor of Clinical and Community Psychology at The University of Birmingham. He is a longstanding, internationally recognized researcher and writer in community psychology and addiction. He edited the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology for 10 years and was a founding member of the European Community Psychology Association and the Community Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society. He has been a leading campaigner for gambling reform in Britain and for recognition of the family effects of addiction internationally. His work has been published in over 50 different peer-reviewed journals, and he has written or edited over 11 books, including the ground-breaking Excessive Appetites: A Psychological View of Addictions.

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