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Why We Fight
The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace
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Why We Fight
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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Description
Based on two decades of research, the five causes of wars and four ways to stop them.
It's easy to overlook that most of the time, war doesn't happen. Around the world, there are millions of hostile rivalries, yet only a tiny fraction erupt into violence. With a counterintuitive approach, Blattman reminds us that most rivals loathe one another in peace. That's because war is too costly to fight. Enemies almost always find it better to split the pie than spoil it or struggle over thin slices. So, in those rare instances when fighting ensues, what kept rivals from compromise?
Why We Fight draws on decades of economics, political science, psychology, and real-world interventions—drawing on examples from vainglorious European monarchs to African dictators and British football hooligans—to lay out the root causes and remedies for war. The book shows that violence is not the norm; that there are only five reasons why conflict wins over compromise; and how peacemakers turn the tides through tinkering, not transformation. Realistic and optimistic, this is a book that lends new meaning to the old adage, "Give peace a chance."
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Christopher Blattman's Why We Fight offers a nuanced exploration of the causes and resolutions of violent conflict, blending engaging anecdotes with theoretical insights. Reviewers praise it as a wise, optimistic, and hopeful guide, presenting practical solutions to prevent violence. It is noted for its ability to simplify complex theories and for its optimistic claim that violence is the exception rather than the rule, suggesting that small interventions can significantly impact conflict prevention.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241989258
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 20 July 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 278g
Pages: 400
About the Author
Christopher Blattman is the Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies at the University of Chicago in the Harris School of Public Policy and The Pearson Institute. As a young man, he met his future wife in a Kenyan internet cafe, where she set him on a path to working on conflict and international development. He's now done so for 22 years. Through his academic work he has witnessed (and helped to stem) violence around the world. Blattman writes regularly for The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy and Foreign Affairs, among others. For 15 years he has run one of the most popular blogs on international affairs and global development. This is his first trade book.
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