Fascinating [ and] accessible . . . Martins enjoyable book makes a positive contribution to a major debate. * Prospect * [ Why We Fight] should be required reading for not just biologists, psychologists and historians, but military leaders and recruiters as well. * British Army Journal * Why We Fight is an ingenious exposition of a long-standing philosophical problem and an evolutionary psychological explanation of war. It is an intriguing and unusual book. * Parameters * 'Why We Fight' is a worthwhile and thought-provoking read, and Martins framework offers a useful corrective to the war of ideas school of thought that has driven so much Western counter-terrorism policy If we want to reduce right-wing extremist violence, we would do well to heed his advice. * Survival * 'Why We Fight is a pivotal book in the study of conflict. It brilliantly deploys recent discoveries in psychology and neuroscience to devastating effect. It has radical implications for policies for conflict reduction: identity and status need to supplant interests and ideology as the focal points for change.' * Professor Sir Paul Collier, author of 'The Bottom Billion' * 'Anyone interested in war and international relations will find much to challenge and intrigue them in Mike Martin's application of evolutionary theory to the question of what drives men to fight.' * Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, author of 'The Future of War: A History' * 'An important and illuminating book that addresses very clearly the fundamental questions underlying the apparent paradoxes of violence and conflict.' * Patrick Hennessey, author of 'The Junior Officers' Reading Club: Killing Time and Fighting Wars' * 'This wide-ranging book explores how the evolution of the brain has shaped human behaviour in violence and war. Fascinating and insightful.' * Stathis Kalyvas, Gladstone Professor of Government, University of Oxford * A much-needed, well-written, and well-substantiated work. [ Mike Martin] manages to challenge some of the most common assumptions in the field of conflict studies. [ Why We Fight] is a first, essential step into a more scientifically grounded social science and a challenge to several well-established academic theories. -- Strife Journal
