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Why, you might ask, would a self psychologist want to read a book about how peace was achieved in Northern Ireland? I can give you three good reasons for reading this book. First, its author, Charles Strozier, brilliantly combines his skills as a biographer (especially of Kohut, but also of Lincoln), as an historian (especially of terrorist events, groups, and movements), and as a deeply knowledgeable self psychologist to tell the extraordinary tale of how a country that had been decimated with violence, intolerance of diversity, hatred, and prejudice for a quarter of a century (and much longer) could achieve a lasting peace. I know of no other person who combines these disciplines with such mastery as Strozier, and no other person who could give an account of this incredible history with as much psychological depth. His previous books on the psychology of violence pave the way for his insights in this work.
The second reason for why self psychologists would like to read this book is that the lead character is John Alderdice, a psychiatrist/psychotherapist/Presbyterian/politician, who used his clinical skills, especially his empathy, to not only help bring about the peace but also to implement it, thereby revealing how self psychology’s discovery of the power of empathy to be psychologically transforming can expand out of the clinic and into world history. That is, this is an important story of how the empathic skills being explored in self psychology can be transported to the world and make a significant difference for the possibility of peace in regions torn asunder by violence, hatred, injustices, and revenge. In showing how empathy was essential in bringing about peace in Northern Ireland, Strozier located a key philosophical tenet that can be transported to other regions of the world troubled by factionalism, including the United States. In this way, the book has direct relevance to peace makers around the world.
The third reason to read the book is that it’s jus