The Human Potential for Peace: An Anthropological Challenge to Assumptions about War and Violence

The Human Potential for Peace: An Anthropological Challenge to Assumptions about War and Violence

by Douglas P . Fry (Author)

Synopsis

The Human Potential for Peace provides a clearly written, critical reevaluation of anthropological findings on violence, war, peace, and conflict management. Drawing upon anthropological data from both cultural studies and evolutionary biology, Douglas Fry 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. He examines several highly publicized anthropological controversies, including 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 features short ethnographic examples, findings from Fry's research among the Zapotec of Mexico, and results of cross-cultural studies on warfare. It also includes descriptions of peaceful societies and archaeological material illustrating that peacemaking and conflict resolution patterns do exist across cultures.

$114.92

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 386
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 08 Sep 2005

ISBN 10: 0195181786
ISBN 13: 9780195181784

Media Reviews

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
a href= 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
a href= 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
a href= 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
a href= http: //www.peacefulsocieties.org/NAR/051222gen.html Read the full review here.