Press Release Summary = The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon brought the phenomenon of religious fundamentalism to the world\'s attention.
Six years of conflict and debate later, we still understand very little about how and why people join fundamentalist movements and embrace a set of beliefs and behaviour which are destructively counter-cultural.
Press Release Body = The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon brought the phenomenon of religious fundamentalism to the world\'s attention.
Six years of conflict and debate later, we still understand very little about how and why people join fundamentalist movements and embrace a set of beliefs and behaviour which are destructively counter-cultural.
Peter Herriot\'s new book Religious Fundamentalism and Social Identity (published by Psychology Press, 2007) uses current Social Identity Theory to address two key questions:
1. What causes fundamentalists to identify themselves with persecuted \'in-groups\' fighting what they take to be oppressive \'out-groups\'? 2. How do the psychological needs for self-esteem and meaning motivate them?
Case studies of Mohammed Atta, the leader of the 9/11 hijackers, and of the current controversy in the Anglican Church about gay priests and bishops, demonstrate how fruitfully Social Identity Theory can be applied to fundamentalist conflicts.
Significantly, it also offers psychologically sensible ways of managing such conflicts, rather than treating fundamentalists as an enemy to be defeated. Religious Fundamentalism and Social Identity can be ordered from Psychology Press at: http://www.socialpsychologyarena.com/books/book.asp?isbn
Web Site = http://www.psypress.com/herriot/
Contact Details = UK/ Europe: Claire Fewson Psychology Press 27 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FA, UK 020 7017 7731
USA / Rest of World: Kevin Williams Psychology Press 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA 917 351 7160
2012
