The Problem of War and Peace

(Violence, Conflict Resolution)

Books

The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution, the whole book, but especially Chapter 1, "The Parable of the Tribes," Chapter 3, "Shaped By Power, " the second section --"Fighting Mad"-- of Chapter 5, and the second section --"The State of Unnature: The Problems of the Intersocietal System"-- of Chapter 7.

Out of Weakness: Healing the Wounds that Drive Us to War, the entire book.

Sowings and Reapings: The Cycling of Good and Evil in the Human System, see especially Chapter 1, "Why are We Stuck?" and Chapter 2, "Poisoned Minds: The Psychological Dimension."

Op-Ed Articles

"Talk's Cheap, Bombs Are Expensive," unpublished, early 1996.

It is easy, and morally facile, for the established powers to condemn terrorists, when often their own power stands upon a foundation of past terror and the blood of innocents.

"A Remedy for Terrorist Blackmail," unpublished, 1995.

There are measures we could take that could make it illegal and impossible for officials to yield to terrorist demands. Paradoxically, such measures would increase our power in the battle against terrorism.

"The Contagion Out of Bosnia," published, Baltimore Sun, 1/26/94.

We delude ourselves if we think that the "baring of the teeth" in Bosnia is not our problem, for it is those beahviors that expose the teeth that are most contagious among us human animals.

"A Time to Move Beyond Diplomacy," published, Baltimore Sun, 12/14/94.

There is an important lesson to be learned from the way, even after two generations of living at peace together, being good neighbors, and intermarrying, the old tribal animosities between Serbs and Bosnians could so readily spring forth undiminished. The captioned sentence in the published piece reads "The next step in peace-making must go beyond diplomacy to create new approaches that can touch and heal the wounds of the human spirit."

"Breakthrough for Humanity," published, Christian Science Monitor, approx. 1991.

A satiric piece --inspired by the Israelis' refusal to deal with the PLO and by President Bush's nomination of Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court-- about the marvelous effects that come from that innovation whereby each side in a conflict gets to choose which members of the opposing group will represents the other side.

Radio Shows