Revenge: On The Dynamics Of A Frightening Urge And Its Taming Hämnd Eller Upprättelse. English

The authors' aim in this book is to focus on revenge as a neglected and insufficiently understood psychological mechanism in a broad spectrum ranging from the many and varied revenge acts of everyday life to the extreme societal destructiveness of genocide. Are perpetrators always avengers? What is the destructive potential of ordinary people? Envy, narcissistic wounds and rage are important themes with links to our ancestors. Human affects are central for attachment, symbolization and memory. How we deal with trauma will have an effect on the outcome of the revenge spiral. There are also grey areas between revenge and limit setting; what do these areas look like? The authors develop models for horizontal and vertical relationships, which are important for an open reflective mental space. Via the concept space creating, the book describes the creative space with its possibility for reflection. The dilemma of the professional helper, the consequences of listening to traumatic memories and revenge fantasies, so called vicarious traumas are also taken up. By the end of the book, the necessity of refraining from—and concrete ideas of what we can do to stop—revenge will have been made much clearer. The Authors' Aim In This Book Is To Focus On Revenge As A Neglected And Insufficiently Understood Psychological Mechanism In A Broad Spectrum Ranging From The Many And Varied Revenge Acts Of Everyday Life To The Extreme Societal Destructiveness Of Genocide. Are Perpetrators Always Avengers? What Is The Destructive Potential Of Ordinary People? Envy, Narcissistic Wounds And Rage Are Important Themes With Links To Our Forefathers. Human Affects Are Central For Attachment, Symbolization And Memory. How We Deal With Trauma Will Have An Effect On The Outcome Of The Revenge Spiral. There Are Also Grey Areas Between Revenge And Limit Setting; What Do These Areas Look Like? The Authors Develop Models For Horizontal And Vertical Relationships Which Are Important For An Open Reflective Mental Space. Via The Concept Of Space Creating The Book Describes The Creative Space With Its Possibility For Reflection. The Dilemma Of The Professional Helper, The Consequences Of Listening To Traumatic Memories And Revenge Fantasies, So Called Vicarious Traumas Are Also Taken Up. By The End Of The Book, The Necessity Of Refraining From - And Concrete Ideas Of What We Can Do To Stop - Revenge Should Have Been Made Much Clearer.--publisher's Website. Revenge. The Revenge Motif -- The Psychology Of The Revenfe Spiral-revenge Or Restoration -- The Grey Zone Between Revenge And Restoration -- The Destructive Group -- Revenge On The Societal Level:large Groups, Ideologies, And Politcal Systems -- Why Does The Revenge Spiral Continue? Among Victims And Perpertrators -- Revenge In Everyday Life-relationships In Couples -- Revenge From A Gender Perspective: Abuse Of Women -- Extreme Collective Violence: The Example Of Rwanda -- Restoration. Refraining From Revenge -- Surviving Psychic Trauma -- Stopping The Revenge Spiral -- Restoration And Reconciliation. Tomas Böhm And Suzanne Kaplan ; Translated By Pamela Boston. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 10 FOREWORD......Page 12 AUTHORS’ FOREWORD......Page 18 ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 24 INTRODUCTION......Page 26 PART I REVENGE......Page 32 CHAPTER ONE The revenge motif......Page 34 CHAPTER TWO The psychology of the revenge spiral—revenge or restoration......Page 50 CHAPTER THREE The grey zone between revenge and restoration......Page 70 CHAPTER FOUR The destructive group......Page 76 CHAPTER FIVE Revenge on the societal level: large groups, ideologies, and political systems......Page 90 CHAPTER SIX Why does the revenge spiral continue? Among victims and perpetrators......Page 106 CHAPTER SEVEN Revenge in everyday life—relationships in couples......Page 114 CHAPTER EIGHT Revenge from a gender perspective: abuse of women......Page 128 CHAPTER NINE Extreme collective violence: the example of Rwanda......Page 144 PART II RESTORATION......Page 162 CHAPTER TEN Refraining from revenge......Page 164 CHAPTER ELEVEN Surviving psychic trauma......Page 174 CHAPTER TWELVE Stopping the revenge spiral......Page 188 CHAPTER THIRTEEN Restoration and reconciliation......Page 200 REFERENCES......Page 218 INDEX......Page 230 The revenge motif appears in a number of arenas and in different cultures. We need to be mindful of its existence in order to discover how common it is. We can then learn to recognize when destructive revenge spirals are developing. By extension, we thus gain a basis for stopping these spirals successfully before they have gone too far. We can also learn what function revenge plays and has played in various contexts. A short overview of revenge as a motif in literature, film, culture, religion, and at work is therefore given as an introduction to our study of revenge. Revenge: On the Dynamics of a Frightening Urge and its Taming, is a comprehensive study of the revenge motif as well as of what can be done to tame consequences of revengeful actions and find alternatives to taking these actions in the first place.