The Human Potential for Peace
An Anthropological Challenge to Assumptions about War and Violence
Published in August 2005
Book
Hardback
384 pages
978-0-19-518177-7 (ISBN)
Description
The Human Potential for Peace provides a clearly written, critical re-evaluation of anthropological findings on violence, war, peace, and conflict management. Drawing upon anthropological data from both cultural studies and evolutionary biology, this volume challenges the traditional view that humans are naturally violent and warlike and argues that we, in fact, possess a strong ability to prevent, limit, and resolve conflicts. In a highly readable style, the book critiques the assumptions, methodology, and logic of some previous studies, demonstrating a recurring bias in the literature that overemphasizes war and violence and ignores the human ability to resolve most conflicts without violence. Among the highly publicized anthropological controversies he examines are Derek Freeman's analysis of Margaret Mead's writings on Samoan warfare, Napoleon Chagnon's claims about the Yanomami, and ongoing debates about whether "hunter-gatherers" are peaceful or warlike.
The book also employs short ethnographic examples, findings from the author's own research among the Zapotec of Mexico, results of cross-cultural studies on warfare, descriptions of peaceful societies, and archaeological material to illustrate that peacemaking and conflict resolution patterns do exist across cultures and that non-warring societies exist in substantial numbers.
The book also employs short ethnographic examples, findings from the author's own research among the Zapotec of Mexico, results of cross-cultural studies on warfare, descriptions of peaceful societies, and archaeological material to illustrate that peacemaking and conflict resolution patterns do exist across cultures and that non-warring societies exist in substantial numbers.
Reviews / Votes
"The Human Potential for Peace is a real achievement, the first systematic book of its kind, and a welcome part of the anthropological literature. I especially liked the sweep of the book, which broadly covers both the history of aggression as well as the ethnographic record, moving forward to contemporary society and applied implications."--Thomas A. Gregor, Professor of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University"This is an important book, and a serious one, although it is enlivened with a number of anecdotes and personal reminiscences. The book has great strengths, including breadth of scholarship in different areas, as well as a critical depth in tackling some common assumptions and cited conclusions."--Peter K. Smith, Department of Psychology, University College London
http://www.israsociety.com/bulletin/isradec2005.pdf Read the full review here.
"Amongst the various anthropological texts that have emerged over the last decade, this is clearly one of the most important. At a time when practitioners in the social sciences continue to haggle over the relative merits of interdisciplinary approaches, of paradigm shifts, and of the role of war and peace in human endeavors, this book strikes a relevant chord. Douglas Fry reminds us that in the human experience it is neither solely nature nor nurture, neither
aggression nor camaraderie, rather it is a complex synthesis of human endeavors resulting in a clear and resounding potential for peace."--Agustin Fuentes, Department of Anthropology, University of
Notre Dame
http://www.peacefulsocieties.org/NAR/051222gen.html Read the full review here.
"The Human Potential for Peace is a real achievement, the first systematic book of its kind, and a welcome part of the anthropological literature. I especially liked the sweep of the book, which broadly covers both the history of aggression as well as the ethnographic record, moving forward to contemporary society and applied implications."--Thomas A. Gregor, Professor of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University
"This is an important book, and a serious one, although it is enlivened with a number of anecdotes and personal reminiscences. The book has great strengths, including breadth of scholarship in different areas, as well as a critical depth in tackling some common assumptions and cited conclusions."--Peter K. Smith, Department of Psychology, University College London
http://www.israsociety.com/bulletin/isradec2005.pdf Read the full review here.
"Amongst the various anthropological texts that have emerged over the last decade, this is clearly one of the most important. At a time when practitioners in the social sciences continue to haggle over the relative merits of interdisciplinary approaches, of paradigm shifts, and of the role of war and peace in human endeavors, this book strikes a relevant chord. Douglas Fry reminds us that in the human experience it is neither solely nature nor nurture, neither
aggression nor camaraderie, rather it is a complex synthesis of human endeavors resulting in a clear and resounding potential for peace."--Agustin Fuentes, Department of Anthropology, University of
Notre Dame
http://www.peacefulsocieties.org/NAR/051222gen.html Read the full review here.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Undergraduate courses such as "War and Society," "Political Anthropology", "Anthropology of Peace and Conflict," or courses in peace studies. Also appropriate for courses in political sociology or the sociology of war and violence.
Illustrations
30 Fotos bzw. Rasterbilder, 12 Abbildungen
30 halftones, 12 line illus.
Weight
653 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-518177-7 (9780195181777)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Douglas P. Fry, Docent and Professor of Anthropology, Oabo Akademi University; Adjunct Research Scientist, Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona