Voices from Post-Saddam Iraq, foreword by Louis Kriesberg
Even today, most Americans can not understand just why the fighting continues in Iraq, whether our nation should be involved there now, and how we could change our tactics to help establish a lasting peace in the face of what many fear will become a full-fledged civil war. In the book at hand, Victoria Fontan shares pointed insights into the emotions of Iraq's people, and specifically how democratization has in that country come to be associated with humiliation. Including interviews with common people in Iraq this work makes clear how laudable intentions do not always bring the desired result when it comes to international conflict and cross-cultural psychology.
Reviews:
"This gripping text is focused on a new and growing area of human psychology - humiliation studies. In it (Fontan) spotlights aspects of U.S. actions - and Iraqi perceptions - that have fueled ongoing conflict and left some increasingly outspoken residents of the U.S., and the rest of the world, demanding that foreign forces be withdrawn and the Iraqis left to their own accord. The work examines issues including how and when the Iraqis began to see the United States, as not a liberator but as an occupier; how both Abu Ghraib and our ensuing handling of the scandal heightened Iraqi humiliation and fighting; how we've fueled the ethno-religious unrest that still rages today; and how the Post-Saddam elections paved the way for civil war. Fontan also describes the role of women in Iraq who may ultimately be an important key to peace and explains her views on the new role the U.S. may play to better help establish peace." -ABC-Clio Editorial Review-
"Among the numerous books on the Iraq conflict to appear in recent years, Fontan's stands out because of the range of perspectives she brings to bear to illuminate her subject: she brings a journalist's ear for compelling stories, a scholar's analytical tools that provide these stories with meaning, and an activist's passion for the human beings at the heart of her writing. By studying the Iraq intervention through a psychological and cultural framework, and by focusing on the effects of humiliation across the political and social landscape of Iraq, her work serves as a vital reminder that what really matters in cases like this is how the intervention is perceived by the population of the target state, no matter how well-intentioned the intervention might be." -Dr. Scott A. Silverstone- United States Military Academy, USA
Reviews:
"This gripping text is focused on a new and growing area of human psychology - humiliation studies. In it (Fontan) spotlights aspects of U.S. actions - and Iraqi perceptions - that have fueled ongoing conflict and left some increasingly outspoken residents of the U.S., and the rest of the world, demanding that foreign forces be withdrawn and the Iraqis left to their own accord. The work examines issues including how and when the Iraqis began to see the United States, as not a liberator but as an occupier; how both Abu Ghraib and our ensuing handling of the scandal heightened Iraqi humiliation and fighting; how we've fueled the ethno-religious unrest that still rages today; and how the Post-Saddam elections paved the way for civil war. Fontan also describes the role of women in Iraq who may ultimately be an important key to peace and explains her views on the new role the U.S. may play to better help establish peace." -ABC-Clio Editorial Review-
"Among the numerous books on the Iraq conflict to appear in recent years, Fontan's stands out because of the range of perspectives she brings to bear to illuminate her subject: she brings a journalist's ear for compelling stories, a scholar's analytical tools that provide these stories with meaning, and an activist's passion for the human beings at the heart of her writing. By studying the Iraq intervention through a psychological and cultural framework, and by focusing on the effects of humiliation across the political and social landscape of Iraq, her work serves as a vital reminder that what really matters in cases like this is how the intervention is perceived by the population of the target state, no matter how well-intentioned the intervention might be." -Dr. Scott A. Silverstone- United States Military Academy, USA
Articles / Chapters in books
‘Out beyond Occupy Fallujah and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham, there is a field.’ Researching Terrorism, Peace and Conflict Studies: Interaction, Synthesis and Opposition. H. Toros and Y. Tellidis (eds.). London: Routledge, 2015.
‘Democrats' Collateral Damage’ in Lee Bowen, et al., Every day life in the Muslim Middle East. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2014.
Cruz, Juan Daniel. and V. Fontan, ‘Una mirada subalterna y desde debajo de la Cultura de Paz, Caso: Grupo Mesa Juvenil 14 de Colombia..’ Revista Ra Ximhai, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Vol. 10, No. 4, January-June 2014.
‘Should God Remain? A Response from the Perspective of Peace and Conflict Studies’ in Susanne Scholtz (ed), God Loves Diversity and Justice. Lexington Books, 2013.
'Humillaciòn y Lágrimas de Cocodrilo' in Al Kubri, No1, Año 2, San Jose, Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y Africa del Norte, Octubre-Diciembre 2011.
‘Gregory Bateson: A Practitionner’s Perspective’ in Dietrich, et al., The Palgrave International handbook of Peace Studies, London, Palgrave, 2011.
‘Every man for Himself’ in S Best, P. McLaren and A.J. Nocella, II, Academic Repression: The Assault on Free Speech in the Post 9/11 World, Oakland, CA, AK Press, 2010.
‘Understanding Islamic Terrorism: Humiliation Awareness and the Role of Nonviolence’ in R Senthil and R Summy, Nonviolence: An Alternative for Defeating Global Terror(ism), Happauge: Nova Science Publishers, 2007.
‘“Our ears and our eyes”: journalists and fixers in Iraq’, written with Jerry Palmer, Journalism, Vol. 8, No. 1, 5-24, Sage Publishers, 2007.
‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq: humiliation and the formation of political violence’ in Terrorism and Political Violence, 18:217-238, Routledge: Taylor and Francis. Spring 2006.
‘Le discours d’al-Manar : vecteur de glasnost du Hezbollah ?’ in Questions de Communication, Vol 8, Université de Metz, France. April 2006.
‘Hubris, History, and Humiliation: Quest for Utopia in Post-Saddam Iraq in Social Alternatives (Special Issue "Humiliation and History in Global Perspectives"), Vol. 25, No. 1, First Quarter, 2006.
‘Al-Manar TV and Lebanese Women’s Groups’ in Naomi Sakr, Women and Media in the Arab World. London: IB Tauris, 2004.
‘The International Media and the Lebanese Hezbollah: reporting or supporting a third party?’, in Humanitariannet, The Emotion and the Truth: Studies in Mass communication and conflict. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘The importance of education and training in modern peace operations’ in The Yearbook of International Peace Operations, Volume 9, 2003. Amsterdam: Brill Academic Publishers.
‘The Media and Conflict Prevention: Warning or Monitoring? The Case of Dvar, Bosnia’ in M Aguirre, F Ferrandiz & J-M PurezaBefore Emergency: Conflict Prevention and the Media. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘Responses to human trafficking: from the Balkans to Afghanistan’ in C Van den Anker, The Political Economy of New Slavery London: Palgrave, 2003.
‘US Newsmedia influence on US Foreign Policy: from the Gulf war to the War on Terrorism’, UL Perspectives, Volume 1, February 2002.
‘David vs. Goliath: The Lebanese Hezbollah in the Current World Order’ in Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. Kuala Lumpur: IDFR Press, December 2002.
‘Democrats' Collateral Damage’ in Lee Bowen, et al., Every day life in the Muslim Middle East. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2014.
Cruz, Juan Daniel. and V. Fontan, ‘Una mirada subalterna y desde debajo de la Cultura de Paz, Caso: Grupo Mesa Juvenil 14 de Colombia..’ Revista Ra Ximhai, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Vol. 10, No. 4, January-June 2014.
‘Should God Remain? A Response from the Perspective of Peace and Conflict Studies’ in Susanne Scholtz (ed), God Loves Diversity and Justice. Lexington Books, 2013.
'Humillaciòn y Lágrimas de Cocodrilo' in Al Kubri, No1, Año 2, San Jose, Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y Africa del Norte, Octubre-Diciembre 2011.
‘Gregory Bateson: A Practitionner’s Perspective’ in Dietrich, et al., The Palgrave International handbook of Peace Studies, London, Palgrave, 2011.
‘Every man for Himself’ in S Best, P. McLaren and A.J. Nocella, II, Academic Repression: The Assault on Free Speech in the Post 9/11 World, Oakland, CA, AK Press, 2010.
‘Understanding Islamic Terrorism: Humiliation Awareness and the Role of Nonviolence’ in R Senthil and R Summy, Nonviolence: An Alternative for Defeating Global Terror(ism), Happauge: Nova Science Publishers, 2007.
‘“Our ears and our eyes”: journalists and fixers in Iraq’, written with Jerry Palmer, Journalism, Vol. 8, No. 1, 5-24, Sage Publishers, 2007.
‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq: humiliation and the formation of political violence’ in Terrorism and Political Violence, 18:217-238, Routledge: Taylor and Francis. Spring 2006.
‘Le discours d’al-Manar : vecteur de glasnost du Hezbollah ?’ in Questions de Communication, Vol 8, Université de Metz, France. April 2006.
‘Hubris, History, and Humiliation: Quest for Utopia in Post-Saddam Iraq in Social Alternatives (Special Issue "Humiliation and History in Global Perspectives"), Vol. 25, No. 1, First Quarter, 2006.
‘Al-Manar TV and Lebanese Women’s Groups’ in Naomi Sakr, Women and Media in the Arab World. London: IB Tauris, 2004.
‘The International Media and the Lebanese Hezbollah: reporting or supporting a third party?’, in Humanitariannet, The Emotion and the Truth: Studies in Mass communication and conflict. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘The importance of education and training in modern peace operations’ in The Yearbook of International Peace Operations, Volume 9, 2003. Amsterdam: Brill Academic Publishers.
‘The Media and Conflict Prevention: Warning or Monitoring? The Case of Dvar, Bosnia’ in M Aguirre, F Ferrandiz & J-M PurezaBefore Emergency: Conflict Prevention and the Media. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘Responses to human trafficking: from the Balkans to Afghanistan’ in C Van den Anker, The Political Economy of New Slavery London: Palgrave, 2003.
‘US Newsmedia influence on US Foreign Policy: from the Gulf war to the War on Terrorism’, UL Perspectives, Volume 1, February 2002.
‘David vs. Goliath: The Lebanese Hezbollah in the Current World Order’ in Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. Kuala Lumpur: IDFR Press, December 2002.