The Psychology of the Armenian Genocide

This book examines the radicalization of beliefs, tactics, and oppression by a dominant governing group when faced with a subordinate group’s historic quest for basic human rights dating back for five centuries. A unique approach, an analysis of archival documents, including minutes of Turkish meetings, provides a window into the inner workings and decision-making of the leaders. Their persuasive propaganda campaign is demystified by applying contemporary social psychological research to identify and explain their use of psychological mechanisms to weaponize intergroup prejudice and exclusionary ideology. Social antagonistic traits of the leader's ideology, dark personality traits, and propensity for moral disengagement are readily apparent in their highly effective propaganda campaign to gain the necessary support from their party and Turkish civilians for their genocidal agenda. The Psychology of the Armenian Genocide will appeal to scholars and students alike interested in better understanding how a nation of people can be manipulated to support the annihilation of subordinate groups. It will also appeal to a much wider range of people who would be interested in better understanding the manipulation of beliefs and morality to create intergroup divisions and intolerance for cooperation.