ABSTRACT

Explains how our major social problems, including crime, violence, terrorism, war, substance abuse, and prejudice, are the result of efforts by their perpetrators to maintain a secure identity, or sense of self. It locates the root causes of these social problems and counterproductive responses in certain identity-damaging social and cultural phenomena that force identity to defend and maintain itself by socially harmful means.

part I|64 pages

Identity and the Causes of Social Problems

chapter |19 pages

Introduction

The causes of social problems

part II|55 pages

Social Problems as Symptoms of Identity Needs

chapter Two|25 pages

Delinquency, crime, and violence

chapter Three|27 pages

Terrorism and war

part III|64 pages

The Role of Identity in the Failure to Solve Social Problems

part IV|83 pages

Social Change and Identity Development

chapter Six|17 pages

Promoting benign identity contents

chapter Seven|16 pages

Decommissioning harmful defences

chapter Eight|14 pages

Promoting identity integration

chapter Nine|18 pages

Promoting more inclusive identity structures

chapter |15 pages

Conclusion

The identity development imperative