Color-coded terrorism alerts are issued, then lifted with no explanation. False alarms can, like crying wolf, desensitize people to a real need to be on alert. And that psychic numbing is just one effect discussed in this book by fifteen psychologists teamed up to take a critical look at the U.S. war on terrorism. These experts are led by the Chairman of an American Psychological Association task force charged with pinpointing the effect of our anti-terrorism efforts on American mental health. Together, they present the most up-to-date and intriguing picture we have of the fallout on our own people from our own programs. The text spotlights stereotyping of foreigners, increased domestic hate crimes, fear, depression and helplessness, as well as increased militancy and belligerence, especially among students. Perhaps most disturbing in the land of the free, we also see increasing acceptance of restrictions on our personal freedoms, and acceptance of human rights violations.Color-coded terrorism alerts are issued, then lifted with no explanation. False alarms can, like crying wolf, desensitize people to a real need to be on alert. And that psychic numbing is just one effect discussed in this book by fifteen psychologists teamed up for a critical look at the U.S. war on terrorism. These experts are led by the Chairman of the American Psychological Association task force charged with pinpointing the effect of our anti-terrorism efforts on America's mental health. Together, they present the most up-to-date and intriguing picture we have of the fallout on our own people from our own programs. The text spotlights fueled stereotyping of foreigners, increased domestic hate crimes, fear, depression and helplessness, as well as increasing militancy and belligerence, especially among students. Perhaps most disturbing in the land of the free, our attention is drawn to growing acceptance of restrictions on our personal freedoms, and acceptance of human rights violations.Contributors to this collection aim to give us a reality check, looking at what our national reactions to terrorism have been, how those reactions have affected the psyche of our people and whether this has made us stronger or weaker, and more or less likely to be the target for future attacks.
Les mer
A collection of contributions that aim to provide a reality check, looking at what forms American reactions to terrorism have taken, how those reactions have affected the psyche of the US population, and whether this has made the USA stronger or weaker, and more or less likely to be the target for future attacks.
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"[E]xamines the psychological effects of the U.S. government's antiterrorism measures and takes the reader a step back to look at what this campaign has come to mean....[c]hapters provide readers with discussions that view the problem from a social as well as individual perspectives....[r]ecommendations for improving emergency prepardness efforts are sound, especially their call for collaboration instead of competitiveness among mental health providers and organizations in the wake of disaster....[i]ntroductory comments and the constellation of discussions in this book's chapters serve as a clear starting point for a necessary and ongoing discussion and are as refreshing as the child's declaration that the emperor is wearing no clothes. It is good to know that, in a moment of our history when even a supposedly independent press has largely suspended its critical voice, there are still some who will call it as they see it." - PsycCRITIQUES
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Fifteen psychologists team up to show how anti-terrorism efforts are harming American mental health, and may well be spurring stronger motivations for terrorists.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780275988265
Publisert
2006-08-01
Utgiver
Vendor
Praeger Publishers Inc
Aldersnivå
G, U, UU, UP, P, 01, 05, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
240

Biographical note

Paul R. Kimmel is Chair of the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Psychological Effects of Efforts to Prevent Terrorism. He is past President of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, and an Adjunct Faculty member at the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center.

Chris E. Stout is Series Editor for the Praeger series, Contemporary Psychology. Stout is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Clinical Full Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry. He served as NGO Special Representative to the United Nations and is a Founding Director of the Center for Global Initiatives. He has published some 300 papers and 30 books and manuals on psychology and his works have been translated into six languages.