Cambridge University Press has published the new edited volume Conflict and Change: Integrating Social and Developmental Psychology, a pioneering work that brings together leading international scholars to examine how psychological processes shape conflict, cooperation, and social transformation.
Edited by Professor Charis Psaltis, Professor of Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cyprus, the volume bridges two disciplines that have traditionally operated independently—social psychology and developmental psychology—offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary framework for understanding conflict and change across the life course.
A particular contribution for Cyprus: documenting and analysing the attitudes of the two communities towards the Cyprus problem and intercommunal relations
The volume is of unique significance for the Cypriot context, as it includes rich empirical data from representative surveys of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots collected from 2003—the year the checkpoints opened—through to the present day.
This long-term database makes it possible to:
- understand historical trends in the views of the two communities regarding forms of settlement to the Cyprus problem,
- examine changes in attitudes towards a solution to the Cyprus problem,
- track fluctuations in trust, contact, and intentions to cooperate,
- analyse the psychological mechanisms that either promote convergence or deepen distance between the two sides, with particular attention to the education system and, specifically, the teaching of History.
In this way, the book combines social and developmental approaches with one of the richest empirical datasets on intercommunal relations in Cyprus, offering substantive tools for those involved in policy design, negotiation, peacebuilding, and the education system in Cyprus.
Thematic pillars of the volume
The book addresses critical questions concerning:
- the development of prejudice and identity in childhood,
- the formation of perceptions of the Cyprus problem during childhood and adolescence,
- intercommunal relations and contact,
- socialisation processes in polarised post-conflict environments,
- the psychological mechanisms that drive both the escalation of conflict and the creation of conditions for peace.
By integrating theoretical perspectives, contemporary research data, and applied case studies, the volume highlights how developmental and social psychological processes interact to shape attitudes, behaviours, and social change.
Intended audience
Conflict and Change is aimed at researchers and practitioners in the fields of:
- Psychology,
- Education,
- Conflict and Peace Studies,
- Political Science,
- Sociology,
- social policy design,
- as well as those working in peace education and intercommunal cooperation in Cyprus.
Book availability
The book is available from Cambridge University Press: https://www.cambridge.org/9781009393126
Source: University of Cyprus | Latest news (https://tinyurl.com/bdekz9n7)