The War Hotel: Psychological Dynamics in Violent Conflict

Authors

  • Gina Clayton
  • Mike Fitter

Abstract

Arlene Audergon’s new book, ‘The War Hotel’, is for anyone with an interest in conflict and the human psyche. The War Hotel is addressed not only to people who are directly affected by or working with conflict, but also to those of us who are armchair watchers of the TV news, concerned, but unsure of our relationship to the scenes we see. The author’s thesis is that those who make war – politicians and military leaders – understand how human psychology can be used to support war. And those who turn away and close their hearts and minds to war as it erupts and continues are as much participants in the unfolding drama as are those who become swept up in it. The consequent purpose of the book is an examination of this psychology to generate awareness of our part in the creation of war, so that we may be able to use our selves and our psyches differently.