Written in Blood: Ethnic Identity and the Struggle for Human Harmony

by Stephen Worchel, Stephen Wirchel

What are the roots of ethnic hatred? Is there nothing that can be done to eliminate, or at least control, this destructive force?
Professor Worchel addresses these questions by exploring the basic human needs to establish personal identity and to find meaning and order in life. He argues that ethnic identity forms the bedrock of self-identity, partly because individuals are born into an ethnic group that can never be changed. Unfortunately, because ethnicity is immutable, ultimate victory in ethnic conflict is genocide.
From this premise, Written in Blood examines the group and political forces that precipitate the collective action that ignites ethnic violence. He concludes that there is no "quick fix" to ethnic violence; the deep roots of ethnic hatred require a prescription that is both multidimensional and continual.

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1998

Reviews

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was required reading for a cultural diversity class that I took at the University of Colorado-Denver campus. I feel like I developed an even greater tolerance for people who are different due to their cultural upbringing, socioeconomic status, gender, nationalistic indoctrination, etc. Ultimately, what I took away from this book has colored my outlook on life in a tremendously positive way.