About Book

This book provides a comprehensive psychological exploration of how societies descend into genocide, violent conflict, and terrorism, tracing the origins of mass violence through historical cases such as the Holocaust and contemporary examples including Rwanda, Burundi, the Congo, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and radicalization within European minority communities. Ervin Staub integrates decades of research with field-based intervention work to demonstrate how group identity, threat perception, societal conditions, leadership dynamics, and bystander behavior contribute to the emergence of collective violence. Central to the book is the argument that prevention and reconciliation require systematic psychological, social, and political engagement—ranging from fostering constructive intergroup contact to transforming destructive ideologies and building institutions that reduce hostility. Its relevance today remains exceptionally strong, as global polarization, extremism, identity-based violence, digital radicalization, and post-conflict trauma continue to shape international security and humanitarian challenges, making Staub’s prevention-focused, empirically grounded framework applicable to modern conflicts, peacebuilding, and counterterrorism policy.Staub’s work stands out for its depth, interdisciplinary integration, and unique emphasis on psychology as the central lens for understanding mass violence. His combination of theory, case analysis, and real-world intervention experience enriches the book’s credibility and practical value. The extensive empirical basis and detailed cross-case comparisons allow readers to grasp not only the mechanics of violence but also pathways toward healing and prevention. However, its broad scope occasionally results in uneven coverage, with some geopolitical contexts receiving more depth than others. The book remains rooted in pre-2010 dynamics, meaning recent developments—such as digital radicalization, algorithmic echo chambers, ISIS-era recruitment mechanisms, and post-2015 refugee-related tensions—are absent. Additionally, while the psychological focus is powerful, it sometimes underemphasizes structural economic and geopolitical drivers that political scientists consider essential. Despite these limitations, it remains one of the most authoritative psychological treatments of mass violence available.A comprehensive, authoritative, and highly influential work that merges psychological theory with real-world peacebuilding practice, offering one of the most robust frameworks for understanding and preventing genocide, violent conflict, and terrorism. Despite being slightly dated in the era of social-media radicalization, it remains a foundational text for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.