Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace
An acclaimed expert on violence and seasoned peacebuilder explains the five reasons why conflict (rarely) blooms into war, and how to interrupt that deadly process
Presentation to the Joint Chiefs Operations Directorate
When is War Justified?
Conversation with Teny Gross on Gang Violence
Why are some people and societies poor, violent, and oppressive? What leads people into poverty, violence, and crime? What events and interventions lead them out?
Chris Blattman is an economist and political scientist who uses field work and statistics to study poverty, political engagement, the causes and consequences of violence, and policy in developing countries. He is a professor in the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.
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Popular press coverage
Spectator picks WWF as a best book of 2022
Journalist and foreign correspondent Michela Wrong chooses Why We Fight
Vox FuturePerfect50
Profile: Economist Chris Blattman has reshaped our understanding of violence and poverty
Predicting and preventing violent crime before it happens
NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast on violence from Monrovia to Chicago, and an amazing new way to stop it
Behavioral Scientist: Summer Book List 2022
Behavioral Scientist recommends Why We FIght
Financial Times: A best summer book for 2022
Martin Wolf selects his best mid-year reads in economics
My popular writing
Cyber Warfare Is Getting Real: The risk of escalation from cyberattacks has never been greater—or the pursuit of peace more complicated
My piece in Wired
The Hard Truth About Long Wars: Why the Conflict in Ukraine Won’t End Anytime Soon
My Foreign Affairs piece on how ideals and ideology explain so many long wars, including this one
The roots of war: To discern why we fight, we should ask why we do not
Book excerpt in the Boston Review
If we elected more women would there be less war? Yes but not for the reasons you think
Opinion piece in Newsweek