Why We Fight—In this special issue we consider the deep evolutionary roots of violent confrontation. We trace the trajectory of violence and war throughout history, exploring racism, ethnic conflicts, the rise of terrorism, and the possible future of armed conflicts. We also consider our innate capacity to mediate conflict and our ability to achieve—and live in—peace. Read the Full Introduction >>


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News

Parsing Terrorism

E. Marshall
Terrorism research has expanded rapidly since 9/11, shifting its focus from human pathology to the analysis of how rational people interact with violent groups.
News

The Battle Over Violence

A. Lawler
Under the long shadow of Rousseau and Hobbes, scientists debate whether civilization spurred or inhibited warfare—and whether we have the data to know.
News

The Ultimate Sacrifice

A. Gibbons
Seeking to impress both gods and humans, early state societies across the globe displayed their power by ritually killing human victims.

Skull of a Sacrificed Child

Watch author Ann Gibbons talk about her story on human sacrifice around the world.

 
News

Roots of Racism

E. Culotta
Humans everywhere divide the world into "us" and "them." Why are we so tribal?
News

Civilization's Double-Edged Sword

A. Lawler
Recent archaeological finds of ancient massacres raise questions about how violence changed as societies became more complex.
News

Gender and Violence

M. Hvistendahl
Researchers are probing links between the status of women in a society and its propensity toward war.
News

Drone Wars

G. Miller
Are remotely piloted aircraft changing the nature of war?
Terrorism TimelineEthnicity & Conflict - Panel DiscussionScience Voices

Editorial

Prevention of Mass Violence

D. Hamburg
Science can clarify factors that affect mass violence and inform integrative solutions that lead to cooperation.
Review

Ancestral Hierarchy and Conflict

C. Boehm
Conflict, and its resolution, were present in the ancestor we share with our closest primate relatives.
Perspective

Adapting to a Multicultural Future

R. J. Crisp and R. Meleady
Evolved propensities stumble when individuals who are simultaneously members of several distinct groups mix.
Review

Ethnicity and Conflict: Theory and Facts

J. Esteban et al.
Ethnic friction depends on the number and size of the ethnic groups.
Perspective

Climate Change and Violent Conflict

J. Scheffran et al.
Current debates over the relation between climate change and conflict originate in a lack of data as well as the complexity of pathways connecting the two phenomena.
Perspective

The Antiquity of Empathy

F. B. M. de Waal
Empathy has deep evolutionary roots.
Review

Life Without War

D. P. Fry
Divergent cultures have reduced conflict by following development of similar peace systems.
 
Review

The Group Self

N. Ellemers
In some contexts, we see ourselves as individuals, in others, as part of a group.
Perspective

Religious and Sacred Imperatives in Human Conflict

S. Atran and J. Ginges
Religious and sacred values can be used to reinforce ingroup status and motivate both cooperation and conflict.
Review

Modeling Armed Conflicts

M. Kress
Models of armed conflict have evolved throughout the years, addressing different conflict scenarios and incorporating various modeling techniques.
Perspective

Are We Winning the War against Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

R. J. McNally et al.
Religious and sacred values can be used to reinforce ingroup status and motivate both cooperation and conflict.
Perspective

Warriors, Levelers, and the Role of Conflict in Human Social Evolution

S. Bowles
Adoption of whole-sale (and often beneficial) changes to society may have required large-scale conflict.
Policy Forum

Parochialism as a Central Challenge in Counterinsurgency

N. Sambanis et al.
Current U.S. practice in Afghanistan may reify social divisions, undermining institutions critical to postwar stability.

See Also:

Book Review
 
Book Review
 
In Battle

Tribal Roots in South Sudan

E. Marshall
Sudanese girl.
Conflict has long been part of the cattle economy of Jonglei State, but its impact has intensified.

Tweeting the London Riots

J. Bohannon
Sudanese girl.
Online social media may be radically changing riots.

Fighting Rituals

E. Pennisi
Sudanese girl.
Humans aren't the only species to engage in ritual combat.

Preening the Troops

E. Pennisi
Sudanese girl.
Green wood hoopoes boost ingroup cooperative behavior through preening.

From War to Peace

E. Pennisi
Sudanese girl.
Researchers have observed reconciliation in more than 30 primate species—and even among birds.
Science Podcast

Special Show

Conflict in our primate ancestors, the origins of racism, and peace systems.
Science LIVE

Why Do We Fight?

Tune in Thursday, 17 May at 3.00pm EST.
Science Careers

Winning Over Hearts Means Understanding Minds

M. Price
For scientists who study conflict's motivations and repercussions, the brain is the battlefield that matters.