Center for Strategic Communication

by Steven R. Corman

Friend-of-CSC Steve Tatham has co-authored a new book with Major General Andrew Mackay entitled Behavioural Conflict: Why Understanding People and their Motivations Will Prove Decisive in Future Conflict.  I have not yet seen the book, but it will be on my reading list.  All proceeds from book sales go to Help for Heroes, a charity benefiting wounded veterans.  Info from the flyer is below is included below, for your reading enjoyment.

Whilst geopolitics, economics, religion and ethnicity all play crucial roles in starting and sustaining conflict this book advances the idea that it will be people’s behaviour, and the West’s ability to understand, interpret and influence that behaviour which will become the defining characteristic of resolving future armed disputes. This seminal study draws directly on the authors’ operational experiences in Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Includes a chapter by behavioural scientist Dr. Lee Rowlands and an introduction by the BBC Radio 4 “More or Less” presenter Tim Harford. The foreword is by former ISAF commander General (ret.) Stanley McChrystal.

UPDATE January 21, 2012

Steve reports that an official launch of the book last night at the Royal Institute in London was well attended, including by special guest former UK Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox MP.  You can listen to a BBC Radio interview about the book here.