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James Waller
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Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing First Edition

by James Waller (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 32 ratings
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Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing
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Political or social groups wanting to commit mass murder on the basis of racial, ethnic or religious differences are never hindered by a lack of willing executioners. In Becoming Evil, social psychologist James Waller uncovers the internal and external factors that can lead ordinary people to commit extraordinary acts of evil.
Waller debunks the common explanations for genocide- group think, psychopathology, unique cultures- and offers a more sophisticated and comprehensive psychological view of how anyone can potentially participate in heinous crimes against humanity. He outlines the evolutionary forces that shape human nature, the individual dispositions that are more likely to engage in acts of evil, and the context of cruelty in which these extraordinary acts can emerge. Illustrative eyewitness accounts are presented at the end of each chapter. An important new look at how evil develops, Becoming Evil will help us understand such tragedies as the Holocaust and recent terrorist events. Waller argues that by becoming more aware of the things that lead to extraordinary evil, we will be less likely to be surprised by it and less likely to be unwitting accomplices through our passivity.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0195148681
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0195148688
  3. Edition
    First Edition
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    June 27, 2002
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.2 x 1.1 x 6 inches
  8. Print length
    336 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From the Turks' massacre of Armenians in 1915 through the Serbians' slaughter of Bosnian and Albanian Muslims during the 1990s, the 20th century was an era of mass killing. Social psychologist Waller (Face to Face: The Changing State of Racism Across America) develops a four-layered theory of how everyday citizens became involved. First considering factors in evolutionary psychology such as humans' instinctive xenophobia and desire for social dominance Waller examines psychosocial influences on the killers, from people's willingness to obey authority even when causing others physical pain (the famous Milgram experiments of the early 1960s play a role here) to elements of rational self-interest (subscribing to, or at least not dissenting from, the norms of a military or other group). Waller's third element focuses on how some groups can create a "culture of cruelty," in which initially reluctant individuals ultimately commit heinous acts. In his last and most interesting section, Waller shows how a perpetrator learns to see his victim as a less-than-human "other," so that, in some cases, the victim is even blamed for his or her death. There is no new research here, and Waller's theory is quite complex. But he clearly and effectively synthesizes a wide range of studies to develop an original and persuasive model of the processes by which people can become evil.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Cambodia, Rwanda, Kosovo, and, of course, the Holocaust these are but a few examples of mass killing and attempted genocide. When such events come to light, civilized people are revolted, comforting themselves by believing that the perpetrators must have been insane. Yet later examinations of these atrocities frequently reveal the agents to be perfectly ordinary human beings, leaving the following question unanswered: what could possibly turn normal citizens into mass murderers? In this important synthesis of social psychology, evolutionary psychology, and historiography, Waller (psychology, Whitworth Coll., Washington; Prejudice Across America) draws on the work of Stanley Milgram, Philip Zimbardo, and other theorists to examine this question, arguing that only when we are fully aware of why such evils take place will we be less likely to allow them to happen again. Combining eyewitness accounts with his own scholarly but accessible analysis of atrocities from the past century, Waller studies the common traits among mass killers, the social contexts of several killings, and the targets against whom such violence has been perpetrated. Out of this examination he creates a paradigm for analyzing mass homicide that will generate considerable reflection and discussion. Highly recommended for every academic library. Christopher Brennan, SUNY at Brockport
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; First Edition (June 27, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195148681
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195148688
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1380L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.54 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.2 x 1.1 x 6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

About the author

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James Waller

James Waller

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Dr. James Waller is the inaugural Christopher J. Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice and Director of the Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs for the Human Rights Institute at the University of Connecticut. In addition, he is a Visiting Scholar at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, Queen’s University Belfast and serves as Director of Academic Programs for the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, an international NGO devoted to atrocity prevention.

He is the author of six books, most notably his award-winning "Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing" (Oxford University Press, 2nd ed., 2007), "Confronting Evil: Engaging Our Responsibility to Prevent Genocide" (Oxford University Press, 2016), and "A Troubled Sleep: Risk and Resilience in Contemporary Northern Ireland" (Oxford University Press, 2021). In 2017, Waller was the inaugural recipient of the Engaged Scholarship Prize from the International Association of Genocide Scholars in recognition of his exemplary engagement in advancing genocide awareness and prevention. Waller has written for The Washington Post, The Irish News, and The Conversation and is frequently interviewed by broadcast and print media, including PBS, CNN, CBC, the Los Angeles Times, Salon, National Geographic, and The New York Times.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
32 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joseph Wayne Heckert
5.0 out of 5 stars The Potential to Commit Evil Deeds Rests in All of Us
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2009
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As stated by the author, the central thesis of this challenging book is that it is ordinary people, like you and me, who commit extraordinary evil. The position is difficult to admit and to comprehend. Evil is a concept in all cultures and a common belief is that it is caused by a few extraordinary individuals--ghouls and blood fetish psychopaths. But history is loaded with examples of diabolical behavior committed by otherwise apparently normal individuals. How do we account for the fact that the 20th Century was the century of genocide? How do we account for the fact that the most inhumane behaviors occurred in "civilized" countries? If those who dropped prussic acid into the showers at Auschwitz were not Catholics and Protestants, they were most likely the sons and daughters of Catholics and Protestants. This from the land of Bach and Goethe. The relevant question is not, "How could they do that?" but rather,"What are the things lurking in my subconscious and in my culture that could motivate me to do that?" The self-righteous may recoil at the notion, yet they may be the most dangerous among us.

A Greek philosopher once remarked, "The unexamined life is not worth living." This book requires self-examination. It is not an easy read, but rather a text for those who don't mind leaning over the abyss and gazing into Dante's Inferno, knowing beforehand that, at times, you will be staring right into a mirror. It should be required reading in ethics classes and all programs in evolutionary psychology.
11 people found this helpful
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S. Nemati
5.0 out of 5 stars A complete, in depth analysis of extraordinary evil
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2006
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Wow, this is a deep, powerful book. I gave it five stars because it was very complete. The author started with his proposal that ordinary people can commit evil, introduces a model of what influences/causes extraordinary evil, and follows up on what can and should be done to ease (impossible to halt entirely) the spread of evil. Interspersed in every chapter is a harrowing account of genocide told by the perspective of the victims or eyewitnesses.

Although I generally agree with the author's belief that ordinary people can commit evil, I did take issue with some of the methodology/tests he used. For instance, he used the anaylsis of the Rorschach test used on the Nazi... even though that test is inherently faulty. Still, he did back it up with more concrete and intriguing evidence. His model was well researched and he backed up his outline with different accounts.

Another positive aspect of the book, is that it alerts you about how many acts of genocide and crimes against humanity go unpunished or even unacknowledged by the perpetrators and the world. Its very disappointing and frustrating as is the author's note that the situation is not getting better and evil will never be fully stopped. All in all, its a great book and its very sobering and sad. I think everyone should read it.
8 people found this helpful
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Anastasia
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly well-written.
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2006
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I was always fascinated with the question of human cruelty and the history of genocides, and after researching review on Amazon.com, settled on this book by James Waller. I was 100% right. It's incredibly well-written. Very easy to read, written in clear language in short chapters. Thoroughly researched. James Waller references and examines all the works that have been written on this topic before. His conclusions are profound, and dare I say it, correct.

It's a flawless book. It brings together history and psychology in a language that is very relevant and easy to read on an very important subject. I'd recommend this to anyone without a hesitation. Not just educating, but also enjoyable.
8 people found this helpful
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Hunyadi
3.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2014
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The book gives a good account of the psychological angles of how normal people can committ mass murder and genocide. I wish the book went into depth with the Nazis and the concentraion camps or the Balkan conflict in Bosnia. Instead the book is written from a sociological perspective. Thanks.
2 people found this helpful
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Zoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2015
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William Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars An examination of both Evil and Genocide. A challenge to contemporary wisdom. How ordinary men become instruments of Evil.
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2017
I read this book about a month ago. I was totally captivated by it and the central thesis of the book: anyone can become an instrument of genocide. Much of the book has to do with the extreme violence of Nazi Germany, but there are several other examples of genocide as well. Waller pokes holes in any argument that might be made that only psychopaths could possibly engage in such evil acts. Evil is a concept in itself that Waller thoroughly examines. Waller presents his ideas piece by piece and contrasts one idea against another in order to formulate his final conclusions. I found "Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide" to be one of the most captivating books I have ever read and I could not resist asking myself over and over while journeying through Waller's comprehensive investigation of his own thesis: "Would I have been able to resist the forces so eloquently exposed in Waller's book in the sad event if I were subject to those very forces" I can not imagine anyone who reads this book would not examine their own life in the context of Waller's very thorough analysis as to why ordinary people have been transmogrified into a cog in the wheel of genocide. This book will challenge your own preconception of Evil and your own conception of what it is to resist the social and political environment of Evil. He presents theory after theory and counters each of them in succession as he gradually works toward a conclusion that thoroughly calls into question any preconception that "only" a psychopath could possibly carry out an act of genocide. This is not a "feel good" book, but it is captivating to explore the very depths of the worst kind of human behavior. Waller provides understanding of how the unthinkable becomes common place in different devilish environments, how the unthinkable becomes thinkable. I look at present day political events in a completely different context after reading Waller's book since I now question these events with a different viewpoint and ask myself if any of today's contentious political scene could be preliminary and preceding events to what Waller so thoroughly examines as the very nature of
Evil. You will never read another book like this one, never.
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Top reviews from other countries

anozama
5.0 out of 5 stars Hugely important study of evil
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2011
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Genocide, despite universal horror of it, is still a regularly recurrent obscenity. Attributing it to evil is understandable, but how can it really be prevented? Could understanding its origins help?

James Waller, a psychologist from Washington, has made an profound contribution to this quest. He closely analyses the evidence of personality profiles and behaviours of the perpetrators of such atrocities, and makes startling discoveries.

Their personalities are within the normal range. Perhaps some slight skews [towards being overconfident, authoritative, somewhat stressed, not the most socially skilled, easily led], but nothing out of the ordinary.

It seems that extraordinary evil is most often perpetrated by unremarkable men and women. Given the appropriate toxic blend of propoganda, moral rationalisation, cultural beliefs, manipulation,and peer pressure, seemingly any one of us could become a killer.
Our deepseated `ingroup/outgroup' responses, susceptibility to authority, and a capacity for desensitisation and denial, can be mobilised to appalling effect.

The book is a powerful plea for humility. It ends with the hope that from acquiring greater understanding of the causes of genocidal behaviour, might be developed some ways of diminishing its terrifying reach.
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observer100
5.0 out of 5 stars The Kindle implementation is poor. There is a later edition.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2014
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The book remains a must-read for students of atrocity behaviour twelve years after its publication, but there is a second edition, 2007, which I would recommend instead although I can't find a Kindle version. The Kindle implementation of this 2002 first edition is poor. Mostly it's perfectly legible, but on my Kindle Keyboard and to a lesser extent on my Retina iPad legibility of the figures is poor whatever the degree of enlargement selected. The typeface size suddenly changes a lot almost 2/3 of the way through, and wherever two words are separated by a dash it is impossible to highlight those words separately. Inappropriate hyphenations remain from a different page layout. Considering the price of the Kindle version I expect a better implementation.
The five stars reflect the author's work, not the Kindle implementation.
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