Readers find here a volume that applies positioning theory in order to achieve a fuller and more in-depth understanding of conflict and its psychological resolution. Positioning theory is the study of the nature, formation, influence and ways of change of local systems of rights and duties as shared assumptions about them influence small scale interactions. This book will thus be of interest to social psychologists and anyone interested in the development and applications of positioning theory.

Covering a topic applicable to fields ranging from education to health care to psychology, this book provides a broad critical analysis of the assumptions that researchers and practitioners have about causation and explains how readers can improve their thinking about causation. In virtually every laboratory, research center, or classroom focused on the social or physical sciences today, the concept of causation is a core issue to be questioned, tested, and determined. Even debates in unrelated areas such as biology, law, and philosophy often focus on causality-"What made that happen?" In this book, experts from across disciplines adopt a reader-friendly approach to reconsider this age-old question in a modern light, defining different kinds of causation and examining how causes and consequences are framed and approached in a particular field. Each chapter uses applied examples to illustrate key points in an accessible manner. The contributors to this work supply a coherent critical analysis of the assumptions researchers and practitioners hold about causation, and explain how such thinking about causation can be improved. Collectively, the coverage is broad, providing readers with a fuller picture of research in social contexts. Beyond providing insightful description and thought-provoking questioning of causation in different research areas, the book applies analysis of data in order to point the way to smarter, more efficient practices. Consequently, both practitioners and researchers will benefit from this book.

A noted conflict expert shows how accelerating globalization is causing dangerous global insecurity that must be met by new security models and policies. The New Global Insecurity: How Terrorism, Environmental Collapse, Economic Inequalities, and Resource Shortages Are Changing Our World explores insecurity arising out of accelerating globalization. In this unique and forward-thinking work, psychologist Fathali M. Moghaddam, director of the Conflict Studies Program at Georgetown University, explains how and why worldwide insecurity is rising and what steps we must take to quell or reverse that insecurity to make the future of the world more peaceful. The book first analyzes the elements and roots of global insecurity, discussing it in relation to terrorism, torture, economic instability, threatened identity, and religious fundamentalism. It then puts forward a new model for understanding security, wherein "soft security capital" serves as the enabling condition for "hard security capital." Finally, the current policies for managing diversity, "multiculturalism" and "assimilation" are both rejected in favor of an exciting new policy—"omniculturalism". Drawing on his years of study and expertise, Moghaddam likewise proposes a new policy for better managing intergroup relations in an insecure age.

Gain a better understanding of human behavior by exploring thought experiments in Shakespearean plays and the historical roots of experimental psychology within early modern literature. This book combines scientific psychology with English literature to discuss thought experiments in selected Shakespeare plays and examine the central role of thought experiments in the natural sciences. Thought experiments are essential for progress in scientific research. Indeed, Albert Einstein and a number of other leading scientists relied almost exclusively on thought experiments. Thought experiments also play a pivotal role in English literature, particularly in Shakespeare plays. By focussing on thought experiments and experimental psychology's place within early modern English literature, the volume establishes a more wholistic approach to understanding human behavior.

Gain a better understanding of human behavior by exploring thought experiments in Shakespearean plays and the historical roots of experimental psychology within early modern literature. This book combines scientific psychology with English literature to discuss thought experiments in selected Shakespeare plays and examine the central role of thought experiments in the natural sciences. Thought experiments are essential for progress in scientific research. Indeed, Albert Einstein and a number of other leading scientists relied almost exclusively on thought experiments. Thought experiments also play a pivotal role in English literature, particularly in Shakespeare plays. By focussing on thought experiments and experimental psychology's place within early modern English literature, the volume establishes a more wholistic approach to understanding human behavior.

Psychology is a discipline with global influence, but continues to neglect disadvantaged minorities and continues to adopt an incorrect model of science. This volume explains what has gone wrong, and what steps should be taken for psychology to become a constructive international force. Historically, psychologists have focused only on causal explanations of behavior, neglecting normatively regulated behavior and intentionality. By giving greater importance to context and collective processes, moving from 'societies to cells,' psychologists can better understand and explain individual behavior. Poverty is an extremely powerful context that shapes cognitions and actions, with destructive consequences for disadvantaged individuals. The advocation of 'be happy psychology' and 'resilience' as solutions to problems faced by the disadvantaged leads to entrenched group-based inequalities, with the poor stuck at the bottom. Moving forwards, this volume proposes that psychologists should focus on normative systems to ultimately foster a more balanced field of study for the future.

This highly insightful and cohesive group of studies reveals the power of political narratives to create conflict and peace. Words of Conflict, Words of War: How the Language We Use in Political Processes Sparks Fighting is a fascinating exploration of the narratives leaders use to position both themselves and others in the course of political processes that lead to peace or conflict. Drawing on the relatively new field of "positioning theory," expert essays provide insights into the ways words position us-for better or worse-and influence our intended results. The focus on narratives, from the interpersonal to the international, leads to a better understanding of political processes and conflict resolution. Part one of the study deals with micropolitics and personal positioning. Part two explores positioning by political parties and factions. Links between micro and macro are illustrated by leadership studies of individuals such as President Barak Obama, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President George W. Bush, Governor Sarah Palin, and the Reverend Ian Paisley. The focus throughout is on how a leader can use language to redirect collective politics in support of conflict or of peace. Includes contributions from 19 scholars, offering an international perspective on positioning Provides detailed case studies Presents six tables and four figures Offers an extensive reference list at the end of each chapter

This book explores modern Islamic terrorism in the context of globalization and cultural evolution. 21st century terrorism is different and new, first because it relies heavily on electronic communication systems and other aspects of modern technologies, and second, because it is in large part a product of fractured globalization, with its associated threats to the collective identity of Muslims. Part one of this work contrasts globalization as an ideal with globalization as it is actually taking place, with its enormous contradictions and threats. Moghaddam, a longtime and highly respected terrorism and conflict researcher, argues that globalization is resulting in serious threats to the basic psychological needs of some, particularly in connection with collective identity. Part two explores how globalization has brought sudden contact between different groups with no previous history of large-scale contact, resulting in a rapid decline in diversity. Terrorism is one of the dysfunctional defense mechanisms of people in such conditions, facing external threats. Part three describes long-term solutions, focusing particularly on the role of women and the nature of the family in traditional Islamic societies.

Moghaddam shows us why globalization is resulting in what he calls catastrophic evolution, the rapid decline and disappearance of minority cultures and languages, and why that brings a clash of ideologies and the rise of extremism. There are also other dangerous trends, and those call for inspired solutions, springing from an understanding that traditional conflict-resolution, evolved in the shadow of the Cold War, is no longer effective and needs to change.

Peace-makers, experts in conflict resolution, researchers and teachers are among the contributors here focused on ethnic and cultural conflict around the world. The volume first addresses elements such as identity and difference, both conceptually and historically. Text that follows describes issues and experiences associated with conflict and war in countries including Africa, China, Iran, Israel, Palestine, and New Zealand. The role of immigration, three major cultures (Islamic, Christian, and Confucian) are examined. Finally, innovative programs and strategies to prevent and manage ethnic conflict and violence are offered by practitioners. This book will interest professors and students of cross-cultural psychology, social psychology, ethnic and cultural relations, international relations, anthropology and political science.

This book offers a broad-based critical examination of the consequences--moral, psychological, sociological, educational, and economic--of increasing specialization in today's world. According to the author, we have now reached a stage where the education and professional work of both elite and non-elite groups are so narrowly focused as to diminish both the individual and society. The development of the complete individual has given way to the development of a complete collective, made up of narrowly focused, fragmented individuals. And educators--the very people who should be able to lead us out of this path of increasing specalization--have themselves fallen victim, unable to function outside their own specialized areas of expertise. This controversial work will be of interest to scholars and students in social psychology, philosophy, educational foundations, economics, Third World development, and business--in short, to all thinking members of modern society.

Presenting a picture of the world giving rise to Islamic terrorism, From the Terrorists' Point of View argues that terrorism arises from a deep and pervasive identity crisis in Islamic societies. The account presented in these 10 chapters is shaped by the author's first-hand experiences of life in the Islamic world, as well as his more than quarter-century of research on the psychology of conflict and radicalism. Moghaddam shows us why individuals who are recruited into terrorist organizations are convinced it is the only viable alternative. They believe there are no effective legal means of expressing their grievances and participating in decision making, so they become socialized to see terrorist organizations as legitimate. The organizations they join train them to adopt an "us vs. them" categorical view, seeing all members outside their group, including civilians, as among the evil enemy ranks. Looking at the perspective of the terrorist groups themselves, Moghaddam explains why current U.S. policy, focusing almost exclusively on individual terrorists and their eradication, will achieve only short-term gains. He argues that the more effective long-term policy against terrorism is prevention. That, he writes, requires cultivation and nourishment of contextualized democracy through culturally appropriate avenues. Only allowing people a greater voice and creating mobility opportunities for them will ensure that they do not feel a need to climb the "staircase to terrorism."

Political plasticity refers to limitations on how fast, how much, and in what ways political behavior does (or does not) change. In a number of important areas of behavior, such as leader-follower relations, ethnicity, religion, and the rich-poor divide, there has been long-term continuity of human behavior. These continuities are little impacted by factors assumed to bring about change such as electronic technologies, major wars, globalization, and revolutions. In addition to such areas of low political plasticity, areas of high political plasticity are considered. For example, women in education is discussed to illustrate how rapid societal change can be achieved. This book explains the psychological and social mechanisms that limit political plasticity, and shape the possibility of changes in both democratic and dictatorial countries. Students, teachers, and anyone interested in political behavior and social psychology will benefit from this volume.

Political plasticity refers to limitations on how fast, how much, and in what ways political behavior does (or does not) change. In a number of important areas of behavior, such as leader-follower relations, ethnicity, religion, and the rich-poor divide, there has been long-term continuity of human behavior. These continuities are little impacted by factors assumed to bring about change such as electronic technologies, major wars, globalization, and revolutions. In addition to such areas of low political plasticity, areas of high political plasticity are considered. For example, women in education is discussed to illustrate how rapid societal change can be achieved. This book explains the psychological and social mechanisms that limit political plasticity, and shape the possibility of changes in both democratic and dictatorial countries. Students, teachers, and anyone interested in political behavior and social psychology will benefit from this volume.

Psychology is a discipline with global influence, but continues to neglect disadvantaged minorities and continues to adopt an incorrect model of science. This volume explains what has gone wrong, and what steps should be taken for psychology to become a constructive international force. Historically, psychologists have focused only on causal explanations of behavior, neglecting normatively regulated behavior and intentionality. By giving greater importance to context and collective processes, moving from 'societies to cells,' psychologists can better understand and explain individual behavior. Poverty is an extremely powerful context that shapes cognitions and actions, with destructive consequences for disadvantaged individuals. The advocation of 'be happy psychology' and 'resilience' as solutions to problems faced by the disadvantaged leads to entrenched group-based inequalities, with the poor stuck at the bottom. Moving forwards, this volume proposes that psychologists should focus on normative systems to ultimately foster a more balanced field of study for the future.

As the world faces an array of increasingly pervasive and dangerous social conflicts--race riots, ethnic cleansing, the threat of terrorism, labor disputes, and violence against women, children, and the elderly, to name a few--the study of how groups relate has taken on a role of vital importance to our society. In this thoroughly updated and expanded second edition, major international theoretical orientations to intergroup relations are outlined and critiqued, with particular attention given to exciting new developments in the field. Changes in approach to such enduring social issues as discrimination are discussed, and new sections focus on emerging topics including affirmative action, tokenism, and multiculturalism.

This volume focuses on relations between the self and other individuals, the self and groups, and the self and context. Leading scholars in the field of positioning theory present the newest developments from this field on human social relations. The discussion is international, multidisciplinary, and multi-method, aiming to achieve a more dynamic and powerful account of human social relations, and to break disciplinary boundaries. Four features in this work are prominent. The book is culturally oriented and international. There is a push to move across disciplines, particularly across psychology and linguistics, and psychology and microsociology. There is a focus on language and social construction of the world through discourse. Finally, the book represents a multi-method approach that reflects discursive methods.

Illusions of control are explored in a wide variety of domains—from the micro level of the self and interpersonal relations to the macro level of large organizations and intergroup and international relations. The authors argue that people are motivated to control the world, and in particular, to control future events. This tendency is strong in Western industrialized societies, where modern science is seen as a means through which humans can gain mastery over environmental conditions. The tendency to control can have positive and negative consequences. Illusions of control are often shattered by unexpected events such as divorce, death, and by technological and environmental changes. The authors argue that the best strategy for coping is to develop long-term goals and short-term strategies. Working from a multidisciplinary perpective, they show how to avoid the pitfalls of these illusions of control. This book will be of interest to students and professionals in social psychology, and organizational behavior management.

Readers find here a volume that applies positioning theory in order to achieve a fuller and more in-depth understanding of conflict and its psychological resolution. Positioning theory is the study of the nature, formation, influence and ways of change of local systems of rights and duties as shared assumptions about them influence small scale interactions. This book will thus be of interest to social psychologists and anyone interested in the development and applications of positioning theory.

Since 2011 the world has experienced an explosion of popular uprisings that began in the Middle East and quickly spread to other regions. What are the different social-psychological conditions for these events to emerge, what different trajectories do they take, and how are they are represented to the public? To answer these questions, this book applies the latest social psychological theories to contextualized cases of revolutions and uprisings from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century in countries around the world. In so doing, it explores continuities and discontinuities between past and present uprisings, and foregrounds such issues as the crowds, collective action, identity changes, globalization, radicalization, the plasticity of political behaviour, and public communication.

Since 2011 the world has experienced an explosion of popular uprisings that began in the Middle East and quickly spread to other regions. What are the different social-psychological conditions for these events to emerge, what different trajectories do they take, and how are they are represented to the public? To answer these questions, this book applies the latest social psychological theories to contextualized cases of revolutions and uprisings from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century in countries around the world. In so doing, it explores continuities and discontinuities between past and present uprisings, and foregrounds such issues as the crowds, collective action, identity changes, globalization, radicalization, the plasticity of political behaviour, and public communication.

There were around 281 million international migrants throughout the world in 2020, nearly 4% of the global population. In the decades to come, thanks to ongoing conflict, violence, political instability and the effects of climate change, these numbers will only rise. This book adopts a broad perspective of psychological science, encompassing both causal and normative behavior, to explore topics related to immigration including gentrification, "crimmigration," and trust between immigrants and host-society authorities. To some, immigrants represent a threat to the established population's jobs, standard of living, communities, culture, language, and safety. Others view immigrants as offering economic benefits to society including new sources of labor and consumption, and new technical skills and knowledge--not to mention the economic and personal benefits immigrants and their families might gain as well. While most immigrants leave their home countries for job opportunities, millions of others have been driven away due to conflict, extreme violence, political instability, and climate change. Authors in this book provide psychological reports of the immigration experience in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America, and address the challenges of integrating immigrants and refugees in host societies. While critically assessing the immigration crisis globally, this book offers practical solutions to problems of contemporary immigration derived from theoretical constructs such as the contact hypothesis and the common group identity model, while also highlighting key areas of ongoing and future research.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Political Behavior explores the intersection of psychology, political science, sociology, communications, and human behavior to better understand why and how people interact with political processes. Bringing together scholars from around the world, the encyclopedia integrates theories, research, and case studies from a variety of disciplines to help readers better understand the complexities of political behavior. Contributors analyze the forces that shape the behavior of individuals, groups, and social movements and how that behavior impacts political outcomes and public policy debates. In over 360 entries, the encyclopedia focuses broadly on the following topics: Cognitive processes Group identities and influence Individual political behavior International/comparative perspectives Justice and political behavior Media, discourse, and communications Policies and political behavior Political systems Security and terrorism Social political movements Theories of political behavior Voting behavior and political campaigns Aimed at college and university students, this one-of-a-kind reference covers voting patterns, interactions between groups, what makes different types of government systems appealing to different societies, and the impact of early childhood development on political beliefs, among others. Topics explored by political psychologists are of great interest in fields beyond either psychology or political science, with implications, for instance, within business and management. This title will be available online on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences library.

This two-volume exploration of what might be termed "interpersonal war and peace" reveals why individuals and groups coalesce or collide, and how more positive relationships can be achieved. In this two-volume set, the most comprehensive treatment of its subject to date, eminent social scientists explore the processes involved in becoming friends-or enemies. Volume 1, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Insights, focuses on friendship and enmity between individuals, examining situations that arise in romances, at school, at work, and between races, genders, and sexual identities. The text is enriched by a discussion of individual interactions in classic books and movies, what those stories reflect, and what they teach about human nature. Volume 2, Group and Intergroup Understanding, focuses on group dynamics across time and around the globe. Topics range from group interactions before and after the American Civil War to friendship and enmity between Afghans and Americans today. The work's ultimate concern, however, is to present ways in which individuals, groups, and nations can learn to be friends. Covers friendship and enmity between individuals and groups as it applies to adults, as well as to children Takes the unique approach of studying friendship in relation to enmity, showing them as fluid relationships that can be altered Addresses potentially contentious issues such as ethnicity/racism, sexism, and heterosexism, as well as current and historical conflicts involving Afghanis and Americans, Pakistanis and Indians, and the Irish and English Uses case studies of how groups become enemies to instruct readers on ways to better manage conflict and achieve peace

This book focuses on the key ideas of the most important modern psychologists. Nineteen classic "great ideas" in psychology are critically assessed in their cultural and historical context, with topics ranging from neuroscience to personality, development to socio-cultural issues. The simple narrative style and chapter structure, combined with "critical thinking questions" and a shortlist of essential readings for further study at the end of each chapter, provides an ideal approach for anyone interested in learning about the key ideas and theories in psychology

As the 21st Century opened, the discipline of psychology seemed to be separating into two radically distinct domains. Qualitative and Cultural Psychology focused on the discursive means for the management of meaning in a world of norms, while Neuropsychology and Neuroscience focused on the investigation of brain processes. These two domains can be reconciled in a hybrid science that brings them together into a synthesis more powerful than anything psychologists have achieved before. For the first time, there is the possibility of a general psychology in which the biological and the cultural aspects of human life coalesce into a unitas multiplex, unity in diversity. This textbook ambitiously aims to and succeeds in providing this unity. Fathali M. Moghaddam and Rom Harre have designed a textbook brought together with additional voices that speak to the similarities and differences of these two seemingly distinctive domains. This bridge-building will encourage a new generation of undergraduate students studying psychology to more fully appreciate the real potential for the study of human behaviour, and as such it will represent a more provocative alternative to standard general psychology textbooks. It also support teaching in a host of courses, namely 2nd and 3rd courses on the conceptual and philosophical nature of psychology, social psychology, critical psychology and cognitive science. Selectively, it will also represent a very interesting and different choice for foundation level students too.