Evil, Terrorism and Psychiatry

Terrorism has dominated the domestic and international landscape since 9/11. Determining what drives people to commit acts of terrorism is no easy task. The important new book fills a gap in the psychology and psychiatry literature by examining the relationship between evil and mental illness, and in particular amongst terrorists. How can evil, a characteristic of human nature, become extreme, intent on destruction and lead to acts of terrorism? Featuring contributions from leading experts in this field, Evil, Terrorism and Psychiatry explores whether there are specific personality traits, psychological characteristics or psychopathological conditions that may favour a lack of control of violence in terrorists. It also offers possible novel prevention strategies to help understand and prevent these acts in future. Featuring articles from a special issue of CNS Spectrums, this book also includes brand new chapters found exclusively in this book.

Donatella Marazziti is a psychiatrist at the Universita degli Studi, Pisa. She is Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Neuropsychiatry, Field Editor of CNS Spectrums and Associated Editor of BMJ Psychiatry. Her research interests are focussed on biological markers in psychiatric and normal conditions, psychopharmacology, emotions, attachment and clinical psychiatry. She has authored more than 500 articles and chapters. Stephen M. Stahl is Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego and Honorary Visiting Senior Fellow in Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. He has conducted various research projects awarded by the National Institute of Mental Health, Veterans Affairs, and the pharmaceutical industry. Author of more than 500 articles and chapters, Dr Stahl is also the author of the bestseller Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology (Cambridge, 2013).