ABSTRACT

Offering a holistic take on an emerging field, this edited collection examines how heroism manifests, is appropriated, and is constructed in a broad range of settings and from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. Psychologists, educators, lawyers, researchers and cultural analysts consider how heroism intersects with wellbeing, and how we still use—and even abuse—heroism as a vehicle to thrive and prosper in the everyday and in the face of the most unbearable situations. Highlighting some of the most pressing issues in today’s world—including genocide, racism, deceitful business practices, bystanderism, mental health, unethical governance and the global refugee crisis—this book applies a critical psychological perspective in synthesizing the social construction of heroism and wellbeing, contributing to the development of global wellbeing indicators and measures.

chapter |17 pages

Introduction

Heroism and Wellbeing in the 21st Century: Recognizing Our Personal Heroic Imperative

section 1|39 pages

Historical Contexts

chapter 1|12 pages

Transforming Through Ambivalence

Failure, Deviance, and Contradiction in Heroism

chapter 2|11 pages

Rethinking Hero Status in Colonial Western Australia

A Step Towards Reconciliation

chapter 3|14 pages

Rebuilding Lives

Heroism and Gender in the Great War Community of an Australian Soldier

section 2|42 pages

Teaching and Fostering Heroism

chapter 4|11 pages

The Heroic Learner

Engaging and Inspiring Students Through the Art of Heroism

chapter 5|14 pages

The Hero’s Journey

A Mudmap to Wellbeing

chapter 6|15 pages

Personal Heroism Through Fact and Fiction

Safeguarding Truth and Freedom in the Utopia of Star Trek and the Whistle-Blowing of Edward Snowden

section 3|48 pages

Contemporary Professional Practices

chapter 7|17 pages

Fake Heroism as a Mechanism for Mafia Offer

A Critical Realism Perspective on the Abuse of Heroism

chapter 8|13 pages

Lawyers as Heroes

Fostering Holistic Wellbeing by Developing Heroic Virtues in Law Students

chapter 9|16 pages

The Visible-Invisible School Leader

Redefining Heroism and Offering Alternate Metaphors for Educational Leadership

section 4|91 pages

Crisis, Displacement, and Recovery

chapter 10|14 pages

Paradoxical Heroism

Heroic Altruism and Wellbeing During and After the Holocaust

chapter 11|15 pages

Heroic Feat

An Aboriginal Sporting Club’s Collective Journey to Healthy Resistance

chapter 13|16 pages

The Adversity Antidote

How Heroism Education Is Being Employed to Navigate Hardship and Achieve Wellbeing in Flint, Michigan

chapter |30 pages

Conclusion

Definition, Synthesis, and Applications of Heroic Wellbeing