Abstract
Excerpt: History textbooks supply a variety of reasons why wars are fought. Most research in war studies focuses on explaining the “isms” that shape alliances (communism, Nazism); the power struggles that incite conflicts (economic conditions, ethnic or religious rivalry); or the means by which they are ultimately won or lost (battle strategies, weaponry). These tend to apply a causal logic to war, often neglecting to consider the emotional roots of human action and decision making. What precise emotions compel us to commit or endorse violence and destruction on a massive scale? How are these exploited by nation‐states to evoke fervent nationalism or militarism?