Henri Tajfel: Explorer of Identity and Difference

Reviews / Votes

'This biography of Henri (Hersz/Heniek) Tajfel really is inspiring for students, researchers, and members of the broader audience! Its information (plus photos!) is highly informative and a good read in itself, and this biography shows that social identity theory is so much more than just a textbook theory and "completes the picture".' - Edwin Boezeman, Leiden University, Section of Social, Economic and Organizational Psychology; University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Netherlands.

'Rupert Brown's biography of Henri Tajfel invites us to consider both the personal history and character of a man whose work has influenced a generation of researchers. Having worked closely with Tajfel as a research student in the 1970s, Brown describes a world of empire building and power politics that will be recognisable to anyone who has worked in Higher Education. The portrayal of the man, his work, and his theory, however, is neither sentimental nor sycophantic. This is an interesting read for anyone associated with European social psychology and an essential read for any researcher working within the social identity paradigm. As an adjunct to other historical accounts of the period, this work makes an important contribution to our understanding of British and European social psychology in the post-war period.' - Dr Chris Hewer, Senior Lecturer in Social and Political Psychology, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Kingston University, UK.

'There are researchers who are founders. Henri Tajfel is one of them. He innovated social psychology by proposing a model that highlights the identities of intergroup relations. But beyond the academic, there is the man whose entire life was marked by the experience of the Shoah. The biography that Rupert Brown has written is constantly striving to understand how the man created the scholar. Taking advantage of significant episodes in Henri Tajfel's life, Rupert Brown makes an original and critical analysis of his contributions and compares them with today's knowledge. Along the way, he paints a portrait that pays tribute to Henri Tajfel's visions but also reports on his failures, weaknesses and sexism. The result is a simply brilliant work whose reading is made the more attractive by a direct and narrative style.

It is a book to put in the hands of students who are learning about social psychology, of researchers who are interested in the emergence of a theory that is still fertile today, and, more broadly, of readers who are interested in how one man's singular journey has shaped science in the 20th century.' - Ginette Herman, Professor of Social and Work Psychology, Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

'Detective scholarship at its best. Brown pieces together the turbulent life of one of the most important European social psychologists of all times. Tajfel's brilliance and flaws shine through in equal measure - Brown tells it candidly, warts and all.' - Hanna Zagefka, Professor of Social Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, U.K.

'In this informative and intimate account, Brown masterfully captures the fascinating life and work of one of the most eminent, yet enigmatic, social psychologists of all time, Henri Tajfel. Charting Tajfel's experiences during the Holocaust, his tireless work with displaced orphans, and his eternal emigre status, Brown provides a unique insight into the personal and professional motivations that inspired Tajfel's renowned academic achievements concerning identity and intergroup relations. Moreover, Brown expertly details Tajfel's ingenious experiments into social categorisation and assesses the lasting impact of Tajfel's most famous contribution: social identity theory. Alongside these considerable contributions, Brown reveals Tajfel to be a complex and contradictory person - a man capable of nurturing deep, enduring friendships, who inspired generations of scholars, but also a sexual predator prone to favouritism and pettiness. These complexities and contradictions as well as his academic contributions make this biography a compelling read for all.' - Dr. Jenny Paterson, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Northumbria University, UK.

'Social identity theory is a staple of social psychology and the social sciences generally, yet until now its creator, Henri Tajfel, was simply a name in citations for most. No longer, thanks to Rupert Brown. With his insider's knowledge, a historian's tenacity to dig deep and search broadly, and a scholar's critical facility to present a full and nuanced story, Brown gives us a highly engaging and revealing account of Tajfel's life and his scientific development, combined with an admirably balanced assessment of social identity theory and research today.' - Kay Deaux, Emeritus Professor of Social Psychology, New York University, USA.

An engaging and touching book (especially in its last pages). A journey into Henri Tajfel's life, enriched by the stories and the memories of those who knew him, which allows the reader to deeply understand the origins of the theoretical models of a great scholar of social psychology. A really interesting book!' - Amanda Nerini, Associate Professor, Florence University, Italy. 'This biography of Henri (Hersz/Heniek) Tajfel represents a contribution and a "must read" in different ways. The biography tells about identity and how being a member of a stigmatized minority group may cause hardship, great loss, and drastic measures such as having to eat your identity papers to avoid life-threatening consequences. It also tells about the role of identity in recovery and new hope, finding a place in a new world and making the best of it, and finding comfort in identity at the end of life. Further, this biography provides an insight into the world of academia. From getting into the world of 'science' and securing the first research positions, and finding out that having new and original ideas and having good relations with others matter more than formal credentials, to finding fulfillment in doing research and sharing and discussing ideas and insights with others. The biography also is uncensored, it for instance shows personal costs of working in academia, speaks of "pirates" and the CIA, tells about preoccupied professors and disputes between professors, and discusses things that get professors into trouble. Foremost, the biography discusses the great contributions of Henri Tajfel as a social scientist, namely the development and introduction of social identity theory (together with John Turner) and the launch of a European Association for Social Psychology (in its first days together with Gustav Jahoda, Serge Moscovici, Mauk Mulder, and Josef Nuttin). By discussing the critical events and steps in the personal and work life of Henri Tajfel, Rupert Brown (who was a PhD student of, and worked with, Tajfel) helps the reader understand the origins of social identity theory and offers the reader a good to better understanding of this theory, a theory found helpful for addressing issues such as prejudice, discrimination, intergroup conflict, and motivation to contribute to the group or organization. This biography really is inspiring for students, researchers, and members of the broader audience. Its information (plus photos!) is highly informative and a good read in itself, and this biography shows that social identity theory is so much more than just a textbook theory and "completes the picture".' - Edwin Boezeman, Leiden University, Section of Social, Economic and Organizational Psychology; University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Netherlands.

'Rupert Brown's biography of Henri Tajfel invites us to consider both the personal history and character of a man whose work has influenced a generation of researchers. Having worked closely with Tajfel as a research student in the 1970s, Brown describes a world of empire building and power politics that will be recognisable to anyone who has worked in Higher Education. The portrayal of the man, his work, and his theory, however, is neither sentimental nor sycophantic. This is an interesting read for anyone associated with European social psychology and an essential read for any researcher working within the social identity paradigm. As an adjunct to other historical accounts of the period, this work makes an important contribution to our understanding of British and European social psychology in the post-war period.' - Dr Chris Hewer, Senior Lecturer in Social and Political Psychology, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Kingston University, UK.

'There are researchers who are founders. Henri Tajfel is one of them. He innovated social psychology by proposing a model that highlights the identities of intergroup relations. But beyond the academic, there is the man whose entire life was marked by the experience of the Shoah. The biography that Rupert Brown has written is constantly striving to understand how the man created the scholar. Taking advantage of significant episodes in Henri Tajfel's life, Rupert Brown makes an original and critical analysis of his contributions and compares them with today's knowledge. Along the way, he paints a portrait that pays tribute to Henri Tajfel's visions but also reports on his failures, weaknesses and sexism. The result is a simply brilliant work whose reading is made the more attractive by a direct and narrative style.

It is a book to put in the hands of students who are learning about social psychology, of researchers who are interested in the emergence of a theory that is still fertile today, and, more broadly, of readers who are interested in how one man's singular journey has shaped science in the 20th century.' - Ginette Herman, Professor of Social and Work Psychology, Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

Reviews from Political Psychology:

'Detective scholarship at its best. Brown pieces together the turbulent life of one of the most important European social psychologists of all times. Tajfel's brilliance and flaws shine through in equal measure - Brown tells it candidly, warts and all.' - Hanna Zagefka, Professor of Social Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, U.K.

'Rupert Brown is commended for an outstanding biography of Henri Tajfel's life and contribution... Henri argued for a "a contextual approach in which social psychological processes take proper account of the political and economic structures in which they are embedded" (Brown, 2020 p.117). It was a call to critique biological and personality approaches and for the development of a "social" social psychology. Social identity theory along with Self-categorization theory provides such a framework. This book also illuminates that the day has come where real problems and these real theories are being put together to transform social psychology and its relevance and impact. What a legacy.' - Katherine J. Reynolds, Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Australia.

'Rupert Brown's sensitive and erudite biography of Henri (Heniek) Tajfel is a thoroughly researched and compelling account of the personal and intellectual journeys that culminated in Tajfel becoming a social psychologist and then rapidly a key foundational figure in the emergence of a distinctive European social psychology. Brown's thoroughgoing reading of the corpus of Tajfel's work in combination with his personal knowledge of Tajfel, his deep familiarity with social psychology, and an impressive understanding of twentieth-century European history, is evident throughout the book.' - Paul Nesbitt-Larking, Professor of Political Science, Huron University College, Canada.

'Brown, one of Tajfel's doctoral students, has written a biography that demonstrates the interweaving and interdependence of the historical context, the personal entwining with it, the passionate moral commitment, and the rigorous pursuit of concepts and evidence, that characterize social science innovation. Brown further addresses the moral dilemmas that arise from human frailty... We must thank Rupert Brown for posing and confronting these challenging questions in this sensitive biography. He has supplied relevant and human illustrations to give a broader context within which we can, and should, discuss such complex political and human issues.' - Helen Haste, Professor emerita in Psychology at the University of Bath, UK.

'Brown has written a level-headed and fascinating book about one of social psychology's most influential figures...The book raises important and timely questions about the nature of the relationship between a scholar's life and his or her intellectual contributions...one of the most sober lessons to be gleaned from Brown's biography of Tajfel is that even as scholars of stereotyping, prejudice and stigma, each of us may still, on some level, be guilty of perpetuating the unjust treatment of members of historically disadvantaged groups.' - John T. Jost, Professor of Psychology, Politics, and Data Science; Co-Director of the Center for Social and Political Behavior, New York University, US; Shahrzad Goudarzi, Ph.D. Student, Department of Psychology, New York University. US; Usman Liaquat, Ph.D. Student, Department of Psychology, New York University, US.