Chris Blattman

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Why We Fight is out April 19, available for pre-order!

Never forget: Most rivals prefer to loathe one another in peace.

It’s easy to forget that war shouldn’t happen—and that most of the time it doesn’t. War is costly to fight, so enemies almost always find it better to find compromise. That is why there are millions of hostile rivalries in the world, yet only a fraction erupt into violence. Forget this fact and you will get the causes of conflict all wrong.

Why We Fight draws on decades of economics, political science, psychology, and real-world interventions to show that there are five ways that conflict can win over compromise. These five logics drive peace and conflict at every level, from warring states to street gangs, ethnic groups, and political factions,

Why We Fight also shows how peacemakers turn the tides by focusing on the five logics, getting rivals back to bitter compromise, and that they do so through tinkering, not transformation.

[Learn more]

Out with Viking Press on April 19, 2022. Pre-order your copy through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop, or Apple Books

For media, speaking events, or bulk book buys, contact Maya Baran.

Why We Fight - Book Cover
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