What is it about childhood experiences that influence the kind of adult we become? For John Bowlby and others who developed Attachment theory, much of the answer lies in the quality of early attachments to our primary caregivers. When those attachments are secure, we can develop a safe sense of self. When insecure, we may go on seeking safety throu

Most research in the field of attachment is on the experiences of attachment, separation and loss, and their developmental course and effects. This book widens our vision to the public domain, to consider the ways in which social institutions, culture and social policy may diminish our ability to make and maintain secure attachments. It argues that

Most research in the field of attachment is on the experiences of attachment, separation and loss, and their developmental course and effects. This book widens our vision to the public domain, to consider the ways in which social institutions, culture and social policy may diminish our ability to make and maintain secure attachments. It argues that collective human security depends in part on the quality of attachments amongst individuals, a quality which, in turn, is conditioned by the structures of public life. The book invites its readers to reflect on those social processes that put our security at risk and to explore the prospects for enabling change.Part One introduces readers to the basic principles of Attachment Theory and their value in helping us understand why secure Attachments are so important to the health of persons and communities. In Part Two, contributors reflect upon some of the complex connections between public life and the quality of our Attachments. Part Three considers strategies for enabling change so that our culture, social policies and institutional practices can come to embrace the principle that Attachments and Affection Bonds matter for human security.

What is it about childhood experiences that influence the kind of adult we become? For John Bowlby and others who developed Attachment theory, much of the answer lies in the quality of early attachments to our primary caregivers. When those attachments are secure, we can develop a safe sense of self. When insecure, we may go on seeking safety throughout our lives, in inappropriate and painful ways. Attachment, argued Bowlby, is a matter for individual and species survival.Using principles pioneered by Bowlby, this volume explores the importance of attachments to individuals and communities. Drawing on the work of leading figures in the field of Attachment research and clinical practice, this book introduces readers to the basic ideas and applications of Attachment theory. Chapters explore, for example, the role of attachment experience in brain development, the cultural and institutional contexts in which attachment systems operate, the political consequences of personal suffering and the uses of Attachment theory in psychotherapy.