In Their Own Words

The roots of rage in the post-Cold War era are not only directed against the United States, as inter-ethnic, communal and other forms of violence demonstrate. This book argues that the status deficiency that results from the loss of a nation's favoured position in one hierarchy promotes a need among citizens to search for alternative means of delineating their country's status. This need tends to be more subconscious than articulated. As part of attempts to assert identities in a local or global context, to reclaim status, ressentiment rises among nations and peoples and the tangible and intangible aspects of their identities become issues in the struggle for status. This process results in a feeling of dislocation, a loss of identity, and ultimately a rage that makes individuals wish to strike out at those they perceive responsible. This book sheds light on the intersection of identity construction, perceptions of others and violence.