Chris Hewer | Kingston University, London (original) (raw)

Papers by Chris Hewer

Life is a social encounter and when people come together as individuals, families, or groups, it ... more Life is a social encounter and when people come together as individuals, families, or groups, it soon becomes apparent that everyone has a different idea about how matters should be organized. Some will argue that everyone should do what is best for the majority while others simply want what is best for themselves or those close to them. Others may be less guided by relationships and instead seek the most efficient, systematic, and fair approach to decision-making. As time goes by, other questions come to the fore. Who has access to resources, how much, and how often? Who has the authority to say what can and cannot be done, and what gives a person the right to dictate to others? These questions reflect the political nature of our existence and such questions arise in the home, office, local neighborhood, or, indeed, between peoples and nations. Then there is the question of how we should understand the world and our position within it. For thousands of years, human culture has ventured beyond the material and observable aspects of our existence to explore and embrace supernatural concepts in the form of God, gods, demons, or other unseen forces. Indeed, today, the world is ideologically divided between those who claim that there exists a nonphysical life-world beyond our senses and those who maintain that there is no such world. There are also many who are unable to decide. Given these circumstances, and the additional difficulties created by differences in language, history, and culture, there is huge potential for disagreement and division between individuals, groups, nations, and peoples. We might conclude then that each polity has its own way of looking at the world and its own way of doing things. In psychology, the term "polity" is seldom mentioned, but it is important because it refers to people living under a particular regime (Gr. polıtiteia). Its root gives us two related Greek wordspolıtikos-from which we get politics-actions that proceed from a motive to enact policy, and polıtes-a citizen of a state. When we consider people grouped together, their motives to organize matters, and issues of belonging, the psychological implications become clear. Because we do not live in a political vacuum, every system-whether capitalistic, democratic, theocratic, or totalitarian-affects, influences, and perhaps even determines, the psychological state of the people. Therefore, if we wish to understand people, we need to take a closer look at the social, economic, and political systems that govern their lives. This analysis reflects one of the broader concerns of political

In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay... more In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay collective memory of the Falkland Islands arguably began in April 1982 when Argentine forces landed on the islands. Since then, a memory of the islands has emerged from the conflict that is in contrast to the detailed and very complex history of the territory and the catalogue of associated legal interventions, UN resolutions and bi (tri)-partite negotiations that have taken place over decades. Although among political elites in Britain there is a sense that there is no further case to answer, the Falkland/ Malvinas dispute, nonetheless, continues as a battle between history and memory. This paper discusses the nature of collective memory and explains the Britain's collective response in 1982 in terms of a set of deeply embedded cultural psychodynamics that led to specific re-enactments of the past. The news that Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982 raised...

Global Discourse, 2013

In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay... more In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay collective memory of the Falkland Islands arguably began in April 1982 when Argentine forces landed on the islands. Since then, a memory of the islands has emerged from the conflict that is in contrast to the detailed and very complex history of the territory and the catalogue of associated legal interventions, UN resolutions and bi (tri)-partite negotiations that have taken place over decades. Although among political elites in Britain there is a sense that there is no further case to answer, the Falkland/ Malvinas dispute, nonetheless, continues as a battle between history and memory. This paper discusses the nature of collective memory and explains the Britain’s collective response in 1982 in terms of a set of deeply embedded cultural psychodynamics that led to specific re-enactments of the past.

The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the histor... more The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the history of Europe. Social representations of this event were investigated at the level of individual knowledge. To establish an index of British collective memory for this event, 169 adults (aged 18–87 years), divided into three generational groups, completed a questionnaire. The findings showed a disparity between subjective knowledge and historical actuality across all three age groups. A decline in understanding across time also suggests that a large degree of social, cultural and institutional forgetting has taken place since 1945 leading to misapprehension and widespread inability to comprehend the scale, intensity and destructiveness of the campaign. Social representations of the Allied bombing of Germany continue to endorse a British narrative that is unable to articulate with any accuracy the effects of the campaign on German civilians or British airmen. Representations of this histori...

Memory Studies, 2014

ABSTRACT

... Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. Hewer, Chris and Tayl... more ... Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. Hewer, Chris and Taylor, Wendy (2007) Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.) Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK : PCCS Books. ...

Memory Studies, 2010

Shared representations of national history play a significant role in the construction of social ... more Shared representations of national history play a significant role in the construction of social memory and the development of a common cultural worldview. Representations of 20th-century history studied within a small Polish community in the UK with respect to their content, meaning and effect on identity produced themes of injustice, abandonment, betrayal by the West, trauma and victimization, which continue to evoke strong emotions. The simplified, subjective and selective nature of historical representations was evident in the way in which a legitimate and coherent narrative on key aspects of the past was accompanied by omissions, contradictions and a lack of clarity on other aspects of the same period. The past continues to weigh on the present for a new generation of Poles, which demonstrates that historical legacy remains a significant factor in the social psychological analysis of mind, identity, social action and international relations.

Global Discourse, 2015

The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1,0... more The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1,000 residents in the Serbian entity Republika Srpska (RS)part of Bosnia and Herzegovina-in the fall of 2011. Attitudes to NATO were largely divided along ethnic lines. Evidence of positive attitudes towards NATO was mostly found among (i) non-Serbs (71%) compared to Serbs (18%), (ii) women and (iii) respondents over 65 years. Specific features underpinning these responses were analysed and modelled, which included consequences of NATO membership in the domain of security, economics, international reputation and international relations. A main effects general linear model was able to predict 25.7% of the variance. Ethnicity, age group, level of education, degree of trust in politicians, understanding the role and purpose of NATO and the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past were significant predictors. Logistic regression models of a pro or anti NATO stance predicted considerably higher variation and showed that the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past is predicated, not on ethnicity per se, but on general responses to NATO and whether Serbia would benefit from NATO membership. The implications of these findings for political stability and reconciliation within the region are discussed.

Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 2018

Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1... more Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1998/1999 were interviewed in Kosovo in the spring of 2012. Although the missing are presumed dead by the authorities, the mothers continue to live in a state of emotional ambiguity where a presumption of death is balanced with the hope of being reunited. In the absence of absolute proof, finding the remains of their loved ones becomes a major preoccupation. Using a social phenomenological approach, this study explored the social and political complexities existing within the life-world of these women. The findings suggest that they live in a continual state of psychological distress, and even when remains are returned, the unknown elements of the narrative of their abduction and murder only add to their distress and force many into self-imposed emotional exile away from community and close family.

Culture & Psychology, 2012

The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At... more The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At the level of the individual, three sources of knowledge: history, collective memory and individual experience combine to create a subjective view of historical reality, a common sense narrative that is often expressed with identity objectives and within an autobiographical context. This model of social memory,

Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1... more Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1998/1999 were interviewed in Kosovo in the spring of 2012. Although the missing are presumed dead by the authorities, the mothers continue to live in a state of emotional ambiguity where a presumption of death is balanced with the hope of being reunited. In the absence of absolute proof, finding the remains of their loved ones becomes a major preoccupation. Using a social phenomenological approach, this study explored the social and political complexities existing within the life-world of these women. The findings suggest that they live in a continual state of psychological distress, and even when remains are returned, the unknown elements of the narrative of their abduction and murder only add to their distress and force many into self-imposed emotional exile away from community and close family. Narrative as a means to make sense of the world has particular relevance to victims of ambiguous loss and bereavement. The importance of finding meaning in the events of everyday life involves ensuring that the important stories that constitute the life narrative are coherent, internally consistent and, most importantly, complete. Narrative thinking usually employs a plot, a theme and an object lesson (Bruner, 1986, 1990) but what happens when there is no object lesson, or when the outcome is ambiguous and details incomplete? Incomplete endings often generate endless speculation as plausible explanations for events or connections between events are sought in order to achieve correspondence and coherence (László, 2003). This is precisely the predicament of those who have lost a child who has never been found, and if presumed dead, have never come to know the truth about their last moments. What are the psychological and behavioural consequences of this incomplete bereavement narrative? In war-torn countries, this scenario is all too familiar and Kosovo presents an important case study. The political context At the end of the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo, thousands of men were reported missing to the authorities and their plight prompted the largest international forensic investigation in history: the

The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the histor... more The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the history of Europe. Social representations of this event were investigated at the level of individual knowledge. To establish an index of British collective memory for this event, 169 adults (aged 18–87 years), divided into three generational groups, completed a questionnaire. The findings showed a disparity between subjective knowledge and historical actuality across all three age groups. A decline in understanding across time also suggests that a large degree of social, cultural and institutional forgetting has taken place since 1945 leading to misapprehension and widespread inability to comprehend the scale, intensity and destructiveness of the campaign. Social representations of the Allied bombing of Germany continue to endorse a British narrative that is unable to articulate with any accuracy the effects of the campaign on German civilians or British airmen. Representations of this historical event

Culture &amp Psychology

The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At... more The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At the level of the individual, three sources of knowledge: history, collective memory and individual experience combine to create a subjective view of historical reality, a common sense narrative that is often expressed with identity objectives and within an autobiographical context. This model of social memory, which is informed by social representations theory, makes a distinction between (i) collective memory, which is resistant to change, and (ii) representations of the past discussed and disseminated within a social milieu, which have the potential to evolve into new or altered perspectives, particularly when they are vulnerable to generational shift.

The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 100... more The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1000 residents in the Serbian entity Republika Srpska (RS)part of Bosnia and Herzegovinain the fall of 2011. Attitudes to NATO were largely divided along ethnic lines. Evidence of positive attitudes towards NATO was mostly found among (i) non-Serbs (71%) compared with Serbs (18%), (ii) women and (iii) respondents over 65 years. Specific features underpinning these responses were analysed and modelled, which included consequences of NATO membership in the domain of security, economics, international reputation and international relations. A main effects general linear model was able to predict 25.7% of the variance. Ethnicity, age group, level of education, degree of trust in politicians, understanding the role and purpose of NATO and the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past were significant predictors. Logistic regression models of a pro-or anti-NATO stance predicted considerably higher variation and showed that the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past is predicated, not on ethnicity per se, but on general responses to NATO and whether Serbia would benefit from NATO membership. The implications of these findings for political stability and reconciliation within the region are discussed.

R.D. Laing's investigations into family relationships tell us much about memory as a source of ps... more R.D. Laing's investigations into family relationships tell us much about memory as a source of psychological distress. Laing concluded that patterns of thinking and behaviour established in the family over generations are re-enacted whether we are aware of it or not. Using Laing's studies of the family as a framework, we argue that the expression of emotion, identity, thought, belief and behaviour in social settings is subject to the formative nature of memory. The link between memory and psychological distress (of varying severity) becomes evident when individuals are exposed to either (1) an enacted ideology within the family or social group, which is transmitted across generations; (2) denial or concealment in the face of direct experience and/or empirical evidence, for example, injustices in the workplace, war crimes or (3) explicit and incontrovertible actions that destroy relationships and which create painful memories. Any unjustifiable attempt to reconstruct, undermine or eradicate memory may be experienced as an assault on psychological well-being whether in the family, the workplace or the community of nations.

The nature of national identity after the establishment of Kosovo as an independent state was exp... more The nature of national identity after the establishment of Kosovo as an independent state was explored within a small group of Kosovar Albanians living in the UK. Although Kosovan identity was expressed at times in hybrid form, e.g. British Kosovan, identity at a deeper structural level was founded upon historical origins and culture inexorably linked to Albania and people of Illyrian descent and their territories. This was particularly the case in the discursive context of perceived threats to identity. Despite significant political developments providing the psychological space for an independent national identity, within this small group at least, identity was still strongly affiliated to, or assimilated within, an Albanian identity.

Social representations provide an underlying structure to the dynamics of peace and conflict. Cul... more Social representations provide an underlying structure to the dynamics of peace and conflict. Culturally and temporally specific beliefs about the appropriate deployment of cultural and institutional power determine social and political action. Post-conflict, lay representations of people of other nations persist long after formal hostilities have ended and intra and inter-personal hostility maintained on the basis of collective memory and collective remembering is fuelled by the attribution of cause, agency and essentialism. To investigate their nature and composition, it may be useful to look beyond the mainstream political and cultural sphere and investigate the populist world of comedy, humour, sport and children's play. Social psychology and conflict have a long association! The atrocities committed across Europe that came to light at the end of the Second World War provided a strong impetus for social psychological enquiry. Indeed, the combined work of Adorno et al., Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo and Tajfel arguably comprised an intellectual and emotional response to the events of the Nazi period: each an expression of a desire to understand the psychological roots of the Holocaust.

Life is a social encounter and when people come together as individuals, families, or groups, it ... more Life is a social encounter and when people come together as individuals, families, or groups, it soon becomes apparent that everyone has a different idea about how matters should be organized. Some will argue that everyone should do what is best for the majority while others simply want what is best for themselves or those close to them. Others may be less guided by relationships and instead seek the most efficient, systematic, and fair approach to decision-making. As time goes by, other questions come to the fore. Who has access to resources, how much, and how often? Who has the authority to say what can and cannot be done, and what gives a person the right to dictate to others? These questions reflect the political nature of our existence and such questions arise in the home, office, local neighborhood, or, indeed, between peoples and nations. Then there is the question of how we should understand the world and our position within it. For thousands of years, human culture has ventured beyond the material and observable aspects of our existence to explore and embrace supernatural concepts in the form of God, gods, demons, or other unseen forces. Indeed, today, the world is ideologically divided between those who claim that there exists a nonphysical life-world beyond our senses and those who maintain that there is no such world. There are also many who are unable to decide. Given these circumstances, and the additional difficulties created by differences in language, history, and culture, there is huge potential for disagreement and division between individuals, groups, nations, and peoples. We might conclude then that each polity has its own way of looking at the world and its own way of doing things. In psychology, the term "polity" is seldom mentioned, but it is important because it refers to people living under a particular regime (Gr. polıtiteia). Its root gives us two related Greek wordspolıtikos-from which we get politics-actions that proceed from a motive to enact policy, and polıtes-a citizen of a state. When we consider people grouped together, their motives to organize matters, and issues of belonging, the psychological implications become clear. Because we do not live in a political vacuum, every system-whether capitalistic, democratic, theocratic, or totalitarian-affects, influences, and perhaps even determines, the psychological state of the people. Therefore, if we wish to understand people, we need to take a closer look at the social, economic, and political systems that govern their lives. This analysis reflects one of the broader concerns of political

In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay... more In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay collective memory of the Falkland Islands arguably began in April 1982 when Argentine forces landed on the islands. Since then, a memory of the islands has emerged from the conflict that is in contrast to the detailed and very complex history of the territory and the catalogue of associated legal interventions, UN resolutions and bi (tri)-partite negotiations that have taken place over decades. Although among political elites in Britain there is a sense that there is no further case to answer, the Falkland/ Malvinas dispute, nonetheless, continues as a battle between history and memory. This paper discusses the nature of collective memory and explains the Britain's collective response in 1982 in terms of a set of deeply embedded cultural psychodynamics that led to specific re-enactments of the past. The news that Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982 raised...

Global Discourse, 2013

In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay... more In a state of culturally induced amnesia for empire in the post-war period, British public or lay collective memory of the Falkland Islands arguably began in April 1982 when Argentine forces landed on the islands. Since then, a memory of the islands has emerged from the conflict that is in contrast to the detailed and very complex history of the territory and the catalogue of associated legal interventions, UN resolutions and bi (tri)-partite negotiations that have taken place over decades. Although among political elites in Britain there is a sense that there is no further case to answer, the Falkland/ Malvinas dispute, nonetheless, continues as a battle between history and memory. This paper discusses the nature of collective memory and explains the Britain’s collective response in 1982 in terms of a set of deeply embedded cultural psychodynamics that led to specific re-enactments of the past.

The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the histor... more The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the history of Europe. Social representations of this event were investigated at the level of individual knowledge. To establish an index of British collective memory for this event, 169 adults (aged 18–87 years), divided into three generational groups, completed a questionnaire. The findings showed a disparity between subjective knowledge and historical actuality across all three age groups. A decline in understanding across time also suggests that a large degree of social, cultural and institutional forgetting has taken place since 1945 leading to misapprehension and widespread inability to comprehend the scale, intensity and destructiveness of the campaign. Social representations of the Allied bombing of Germany continue to endorse a British narrative that is unable to articulate with any accuracy the effects of the campaign on German civilians or British airmen. Representations of this histori...

Memory Studies, 2014

ABSTRACT

... Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. Hewer, Chris and Tayl... more ... Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. Hewer, Chris and Taylor, Wendy (2007) Deconstructing terrorism: politics, language and social representation. In: Roberts, Ron, (ed.) Just War: Psychology and Terrorism. Ross-on-Wye, UK : PCCS Books. ...

Memory Studies, 2010

Shared representations of national history play a significant role in the construction of social ... more Shared representations of national history play a significant role in the construction of social memory and the development of a common cultural worldview. Representations of 20th-century history studied within a small Polish community in the UK with respect to their content, meaning and effect on identity produced themes of injustice, abandonment, betrayal by the West, trauma and victimization, which continue to evoke strong emotions. The simplified, subjective and selective nature of historical representations was evident in the way in which a legitimate and coherent narrative on key aspects of the past was accompanied by omissions, contradictions and a lack of clarity on other aspects of the same period. The past continues to weigh on the present for a new generation of Poles, which demonstrates that historical legacy remains a significant factor in the social psychological analysis of mind, identity, social action and international relations.

Global Discourse, 2015

The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1,0... more The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1,000 residents in the Serbian entity Republika Srpska (RS)part of Bosnia and Herzegovina-in the fall of 2011. Attitudes to NATO were largely divided along ethnic lines. Evidence of positive attitudes towards NATO was mostly found among (i) non-Serbs (71%) compared to Serbs (18%), (ii) women and (iii) respondents over 65 years. Specific features underpinning these responses were analysed and modelled, which included consequences of NATO membership in the domain of security, economics, international reputation and international relations. A main effects general linear model was able to predict 25.7% of the variance. Ethnicity, age group, level of education, degree of trust in politicians, understanding the role and purpose of NATO and the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past were significant predictors. Logistic regression models of a pro or anti NATO stance predicted considerably higher variation and showed that the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past is predicated, not on ethnicity per se, but on general responses to NATO and whether Serbia would benefit from NATO membership. The implications of these findings for political stability and reconciliation within the region are discussed.

Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 2018

Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1... more Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1998/1999 were interviewed in Kosovo in the spring of 2012. Although the missing are presumed dead by the authorities, the mothers continue to live in a state of emotional ambiguity where a presumption of death is balanced with the hope of being reunited. In the absence of absolute proof, finding the remains of their loved ones becomes a major preoccupation. Using a social phenomenological approach, this study explored the social and political complexities existing within the life-world of these women. The findings suggest that they live in a continual state of psychological distress, and even when remains are returned, the unknown elements of the narrative of their abduction and murder only add to their distress and force many into self-imposed emotional exile away from community and close family.

Culture & Psychology, 2012

The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At... more The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At the level of the individual, three sources of knowledge: history, collective memory and individual experience combine to create a subjective view of historical reality, a common sense narrative that is often expressed with identity objectives and within an autobiographical context. This model of social memory,

Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1... more Ten mothers of men and boys who were abducted and listed as missing during the war in Kosovo in 1998/1999 were interviewed in Kosovo in the spring of 2012. Although the missing are presumed dead by the authorities, the mothers continue to live in a state of emotional ambiguity where a presumption of death is balanced with the hope of being reunited. In the absence of absolute proof, finding the remains of their loved ones becomes a major preoccupation. Using a social phenomenological approach, this study explored the social and political complexities existing within the life-world of these women. The findings suggest that they live in a continual state of psychological distress, and even when remains are returned, the unknown elements of the narrative of their abduction and murder only add to their distress and force many into self-imposed emotional exile away from community and close family. Narrative as a means to make sense of the world has particular relevance to victims of ambiguous loss and bereavement. The importance of finding meaning in the events of everyday life involves ensuring that the important stories that constitute the life narrative are coherent, internally consistent and, most importantly, complete. Narrative thinking usually employs a plot, a theme and an object lesson (Bruner, 1986, 1990) but what happens when there is no object lesson, or when the outcome is ambiguous and details incomplete? Incomplete endings often generate endless speculation as plausible explanations for events or connections between events are sought in order to achieve correspondence and coherence (László, 2003). This is precisely the predicament of those who have lost a child who has never been found, and if presumed dead, have never come to know the truth about their last moments. What are the psychological and behavioural consequences of this incomplete bereavement narrative? In war-torn countries, this scenario is all too familiar and Kosovo presents an important case study. The political context At the end of the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo, thousands of men were reported missing to the authorities and their plight prompted the largest international forensic investigation in history: the

The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the histor... more The Allied strategic bombing of Germany during World War II was a significant event in the history of Europe. Social representations of this event were investigated at the level of individual knowledge. To establish an index of British collective memory for this event, 169 adults (aged 18–87 years), divided into three generational groups, completed a questionnaire. The findings showed a disparity between subjective knowledge and historical actuality across all three age groups. A decline in understanding across time also suggests that a large degree of social, cultural and institutional forgetting has taken place since 1945 leading to misapprehension and widespread inability to comprehend the scale, intensity and destructiveness of the campaign. Social representations of the Allied bombing of Germany continue to endorse a British narrative that is unable to articulate with any accuracy the effects of the campaign on German civilians or British airmen. Representations of this historical event

Culture &amp Psychology

The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At... more The term social memory refers to the dynamic interplay between history, culture and cognition. At the level of the individual, three sources of knowledge: history, collective memory and individual experience combine to create a subjective view of historical reality, a common sense narrative that is often expressed with identity objectives and within an autobiographical context. This model of social memory, which is informed by social representations theory, makes a distinction between (i) collective memory, which is resistant to change, and (ii) representations of the past discussed and disseminated within a social milieu, which have the potential to evolve into new or altered perspectives, particularly when they are vulnerable to generational shift.

The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 100... more The role of NATO in the maintenance of regional security was assessed from a random sample of 1000 residents in the Serbian entity Republika Srpska (RS)part of Bosnia and Herzegovinain the fall of 2011. Attitudes to NATO were largely divided along ethnic lines. Evidence of positive attitudes towards NATO was mostly found among (i) non-Serbs (71%) compared with Serbs (18%), (ii) women and (iii) respondents over 65 years. Specific features underpinning these responses were analysed and modelled, which included consequences of NATO membership in the domain of security, economics, international reputation and international relations. A main effects general linear model was able to predict 25.7% of the variance. Ethnicity, age group, level of education, degree of trust in politicians, understanding the role and purpose of NATO and the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past were significant predictors. Logistic regression models of a pro-or anti-NATO stance predicted considerably higher variation and showed that the importance attached to reaching a common understanding of the past is predicated, not on ethnicity per se, but on general responses to NATO and whether Serbia would benefit from NATO membership. The implications of these findings for political stability and reconciliation within the region are discussed.

R.D. Laing's investigations into family relationships tell us much about memory as a source of ps... more R.D. Laing's investigations into family relationships tell us much about memory as a source of psychological distress. Laing concluded that patterns of thinking and behaviour established in the family over generations are re-enacted whether we are aware of it or not. Using Laing's studies of the family as a framework, we argue that the expression of emotion, identity, thought, belief and behaviour in social settings is subject to the formative nature of memory. The link between memory and psychological distress (of varying severity) becomes evident when individuals are exposed to either (1) an enacted ideology within the family or social group, which is transmitted across generations; (2) denial or concealment in the face of direct experience and/or empirical evidence, for example, injustices in the workplace, war crimes or (3) explicit and incontrovertible actions that destroy relationships and which create painful memories. Any unjustifiable attempt to reconstruct, undermine or eradicate memory may be experienced as an assault on psychological well-being whether in the family, the workplace or the community of nations.

The nature of national identity after the establishment of Kosovo as an independent state was exp... more The nature of national identity after the establishment of Kosovo as an independent state was explored within a small group of Kosovar Albanians living in the UK. Although Kosovan identity was expressed at times in hybrid form, e.g. British Kosovan, identity at a deeper structural level was founded upon historical origins and culture inexorably linked to Albania and people of Illyrian descent and their territories. This was particularly the case in the discursive context of perceived threats to identity. Despite significant political developments providing the psychological space for an independent national identity, within this small group at least, identity was still strongly affiliated to, or assimilated within, an Albanian identity.

Social representations provide an underlying structure to the dynamics of peace and conflict. Cul... more Social representations provide an underlying structure to the dynamics of peace and conflict. Culturally and temporally specific beliefs about the appropriate deployment of cultural and institutional power determine social and political action. Post-conflict, lay representations of people of other nations persist long after formal hostilities have ended and intra and inter-personal hostility maintained on the basis of collective memory and collective remembering is fuelled by the attribution of cause, agency and essentialism. To investigate their nature and composition, it may be useful to look beyond the mainstream political and cultural sphere and investigate the populist world of comedy, humour, sport and children's play. Social psychology and conflict have a long association! The atrocities committed across Europe that came to light at the end of the Second World War provided a strong impetus for social psychological enquiry. Indeed, the combined work of Adorno et al., Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo and Tajfel arguably comprised an intellectual and emotional response to the events of the Nazi period: each an expression of a desire to understand the psychological roots of the Holocaust.