Short description: Volkan's book provides us with a new and essential understanding of national, ethnic, and religious conflicts. It clarifies that ethnic and international conflicts, as well as forms of violence, are motivated by deeper issues than just political agendas and the struggle for scarce resources. The vivid style is aimed at a broad audience of interested readers. Since the end of the Cold War, many national and ethnic conflicts have emerged openly. While the East-West conflict could be attributed to relatively clear ideological oppositions, the conflicts and rivalries that have since erupted relate to complex and intertwined issues of ethnic, religious, cultural, and historical differences, reflecting aspects of large-group identity and psychosocial behavior. Political scientist and diplomat.