Book Chapters by Steven J Mock
Lecture Notes in Social Networks, 2014
Papers by Steven J Mock
Numerous cases can be shown of nations that elevate symbols they associate with their own defeat ... more Numerous cases can be shown of nations that elevate symbols they associate with their own defeat to the centre of their national mythology and construction of history. While this has been recognized and commented upon by scholars examining individual nations, it has yet to be examined in a comparative context as a phenomenon distinct to nationalism and the nation as a modern ideology and social construct. Yet such symbols are sufficiently common in national mythologies, and unusually so in that they can be shown to have been elevated in importance and altered in meaning over the process of nation building, that examination of this particular category of symbols has potential to offer unique insights into "the nation" as a general concept. Nations are modem constructs, yet most identify in continuity with ancient predecessors. The elevation of symbols of defeat serves to negotiate this balance by substantiating the nation's sense of continuity with the traditional ethni...
Handbook of Patriotism, 2020
Handbook of Patriotism, 2020
Nations and Nationalism, 2016
SAGE Open, 2014
We describe and illustrate a new method of graphically diagramming disputants’ points of view cal... more We describe and illustrate a new method of graphically diagramming disputants’ points of view called cognitive-affective mapping. The products of this method—cognitive-affective maps (CAMs)—represent an individual’s concepts and beliefs about a particular subject, such as another individual or group or an issue in dispute. Each of these concepts and beliefs has its own emotional value. The result is a detailed image of a disputant’s complex belief system that can assist in-depth analysis of the ideational sources of the dispute and thereby aid its resolution. We illustrate the method with representations of the beliefs of typical individuals involved in four contemporary disputes of markedly different type: a clash over German housing policy, disagreements between Israelis over the meaning of the Western Wall, contention surrounding exploitation of Canada’s bitumen resources, and the deep dispute between people advocating action on climate change and those skeptical about the realit...
Perspectives on Politics, 2015
Symbols of Defeat in the Construction of National Identity
Carbon and nitrogen stocks in dead wood of tropical lowland forests as dependent on wood decay st... more Carbon and nitrogen stocks in dead wood of tropical lowland forests as dependent on wood decay stages and land-use intensity. Ann. For. Res. 59(2): 299-310.
Nations and Nationalism, 2011
land of Israel. However the key feature of social movements is that they move, and far more than ... more land of Israel. However the key feature of social movements is that they move, and far more than people in the literary or cultural field, those in groups like Zochrot are (forced to be) more influenced by Palestinians. As the author acknowledges, they have adapted to criticism and changed their practices to accepting and indeed promoting the Palestinian right of return. While this book offers an important critique of the melancholic memorialisation of catastrophe which encloses its Israeli practitioners within a comfortable sense of selfrighteousness, it appears itself to be infused by this melancholia. Yet, some Israelis do manage to model a way beyond post-colonial melancholia. As one of her interviewees states, 'at some point melancholia became rage, and made way for political activism' (171). Though this process lies outside the scope of this book, the fact remains that narcissistic melancholia may be a tendency but is not an inevitable endpoint for Israelis seeking to confront their past.
Symbols of Defeat in the Construction of National Identity, 2011
Numerous cases can be shown of nations that elevate symbols they associate with their own defeat ... more Numerous cases can be shown of nations that elevate symbols they associate with their own defeat to the centre of their national mythology and construction of history. While this has been recognized and commented upon by scholars examining individual nations, it has yet to be examined in a comparative context as a phenomenon distinct to nationalism and the nation as a modem ideology and social construct. Yet such symbols are sufficiently common in national mythologies, and unusually so in that they can be shown to have been elevated in importance and altered in meaning over the process of nation building, that examination of this particular category of symbols has potential to offer unique insights into "the nation" as a general concept. Nations are modem constructs, yet most identify in continuity with ancient predecessors. The elevation of symbols of defeat serves to negotiate this balance by substantiating the nation's sense of continuity with the traditional ethnic culture on which it relies for its symbolic content, while at the same time rationalising the radical social transformation necessary in order for the community to assert claims in the modem political context. Under certain conditions, such myths can even serve as the very signifiers which give the system its structure and meaning and therefore the effective foundation myths of the nation. As a result, an added desperation, difficult for outsiders to understand, often characterises conflicts over symbols associated with these myths.
Symbols of Defeat in the Construction of National Identity, 2011
Lecture Notes in Social Networks, 2014
Using a cognitive approach to the study of conflict that conceptualizes the mind as a network of ... more Using a cognitive approach to the study of conflict that conceptualizes the mind as a network of mental representations, we make three arguments about the role of collective identities in the emergence, persistence and resolution of conflict. Collective identities are subsystems of larger networks of mental representations that make up an individual mind. Because they manifest the group within the mind of an individual, but also connect and align the individual mind with that of other group members, collective identities are an essential element of a complex, multilevel process that constitutes the group in the first place—they are necessary for the emergence of the social group phenomenon. Finally, collective identities are “sticky” in the sense that they are more resistant to change and trigger stronger—more emotional—defensive responses than other mental representations when challenged.
Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2013
We propose a complex systems approach to the study of political belief systems, to overcome some ... more We propose a complex systems approach to the study of political belief systems, to overcome some of the fragmentation in the current scholarship on ideology. We review relevant work in psychology, sociology, and political science and identify major cleavages in the literature: the spatial vs. non-spatial divide (ideologies as reducible to a spatially organized set of dimensions vs. as complex conceptual structures) and the person-group problem (ideologies as driven by psychological needs of individuals vs. by institutional and power structures of society). We argue that construing ideologies as conceptual networks of cognitive-affective representations embedded in social networks of people may provide a path for bridging these existing gaps and epistemological disputes. Tools from cognitive science and computational social science such as cognitive-affective mapping, connectionist simulations, and agent-based modeling are appropriate methods for a new research program that substantiates our complex systems perspective on ideology.
Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, 2013
Nations and Nationalism, 2012
Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 2008
Nationalism and multiculturalism are often perceived as polar opposites with the former viewed as... more Nationalism and multiculturalism are often perceived as polar opposites with the former viewed as the disease and the latter the cure. Contrary to this view, this article argues that a strong national identity, albeit of a particular kind, is prerequisite to a stable and functioning multicultural society. The article seeks to identify both the causes and the implications of the absence of an overarching, civic national identity in Britain, further to the goal of seeking a meaningful solution. It is our contention that the problem lies in the difficulty involved in reconciling current pressures on British identity with a coherent narrative of British history, especially its imperial past.
Group Decision and Negotiation, 2012
Before we can explore the use of management science, game theory, cognitive science and artificia... more Before we can explore the use of management science, game theory, cognitive science and artificial intelligence to attempt to resolve (or just manage) the Israel-Palestinian dispute, we need some sort of mutual understanding about the conflict. Given such a long and multi-faceted history rife with multiple conflicting claims, interpretations and emphases, all fraught with moral and political implications, it is unlikely that any account will be acceptable to all parties as authoritative. Nevertheless, we must search for some common ground. Our examination of history commences with the life of Abraham, the father of the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and continues through to a discussion of Zionism and Arab nationalism. This leads to the creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948; celebrated as Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) and commemorated as 'al-Nakhba (the catastrophe), according to one's background. Whilst our discussion concludes with recent events, including the spring 2011 protests and demonstrations spread throughout the Middle East, there is no doubt that during the time between which this article is written and it appears in a journal, momentous events will have occurred.
Nationalism and ethnic …, 2008
Nationalism and multiculturalism are often perceived as polar opposites with the former viewed as... more Nationalism and multiculturalism are often perceived as polar opposites with the former viewed as the disease and the latter the cure. Contrary to this view, this article argues that a strong national identity, albeit of a particular kind, is prerequisite to a stable and functioning multicultural society. The article seeks to identify both the causes and the implications of the absence of an overarching, civic national identity in Britain, further to the goal of seeking a meaningful solution. It is our contention that the problem lies in the difficulty involved in reconciling current pressures on British identity with a coherent narrative of British history, especially its imperial past.
ABSTRACT Before we can explore the use of management science, game theory, cognitive science and ... more ABSTRACT Before we can explore the use of management science, game theory, cognitive science and artificial intelligence to attempt to resolve (or just manage) the Israel–Palestinian dispute, we need some sort of mutual understanding about the conflict. Given such a long and multi-faceted history rife with multiple conflicting claims, interpretations and emphases, all fraught with moral and political implications, it is unlikely that any account will be acceptable to all parties as authoritative. Nevertheless, we must search for some common ground. Our examination of history commences with the life of Abraham, the father of the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and continues through to a discussion of Zionism and Arab nationalism. This leads to the creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948; celebrated as Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) and commemorated as ‘al-Nakhba (the catastrophe), according to one’s background. Whilst our discussion concludes with recent events, including the spring 2011 protests and demonstrations spread throughout the Middle East, there is no doubt that during the time between which this article is written and it appears in a journal, momentous events will have occurred.
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Book Chapters by Steven J Mock
Papers by Steven J Mock