Pschology of Non-violence and Aggression

V. K. KOOL is a Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York, USA. His previous teaching positions have included posts at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Oregon. He is considered a leading authority in this area and has written two academic books that were seen as positive additions to the field.

• Understanding and measuring nonviolenceHuman aggressionCognition and self-control: The engine and brakes of nonviolenceMotivation: The fuel of non-violenceThe non-violent individuals: Who are they?Conflict resolutionThe role of psychology of nonviolence in the 21st century.

"This book is "the missing link" between the studies of nonviolence and the field of psychology...this is a valuable source of deep thinking to understand the psychological dimensions of peaceful behavior. Kool takes the reader through the main schools of psychology and discusses, with deep knowledge, their relevance for understanding how nonviolent behavior can be understood as a human reaction in certain situations. For psychologists, this volume opens doors to the lesser known world of nonviolent activities in social conflicts. As a complement to the enormous number of works on aggression arld violence, Kool offers a focus on the constructive, peaceful, and creative reactions for humans in conflicts. The problems of understanding and measuring nonviolence are discussed in detail, and several methodologies are examined. As a teacher of nonviolence and conflict resolution at several universities arouud the world, I see this book as an excellent textbook for studies at the graduate level. I find it unique in having so many references to leading theorists within traditional nonviolent research-Mohandas Gandhi, Johan Galtung, Gene Sharp, and Kenneth Boulding, just to mention a few. The well-structured use of outlines at the beginning of each chapter, the outstanding illustrations, closing summaries for each chapter, lists of suggested further reading, and pedagogical language means that this book will not only be valuable for eager students but also a popular textbook." - Johansen Jorgan, Peace and Conflict, 14:341-342, 2008