Anthony C. Lopez

  1. Associate Professor
Email Addressanthony.c.lopez@wsu.edu
LocationVMMC 202X, WSU Vancouver
Phone360-546-9284
Website

Biography

Education

Ph.D. Political Science

Brown University

M.A. Global Finance, Trade & Economic Integration
University of Denver, Korbel School of International Studies

B.A. Political Science
Pitzer College

Subfield Specializations: Political Psychology & International Relations

Research Areas

My research examines the psychology of war, and I approach the many puzzles of war from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing explicitly on theory and evidence from anthropology, psychology, history, economics and evolutionary biology. Current areas of research include:

  • Offense-defense distinctions in war: What is the fundamental distinction between attack and defense? Why is it so difficult for groups (tribes, states, etc.) to effectively distinguish between defensive and offensive weaponry? Do contexts of attack and defense activate distinct neuropsychological systems in humans for reasoning and behavior?
  • Revenge, deterrence, and the uses of force: Why is the thirst for revenge sometimes so powerful, yet at other times we are keen to forgive? How is it that a major deterrent of war among nation-states (the prospect of nuclear war) rests upon a fundamental irrationality; namely, the belief that states are willing to seek nuclear retaliation after the first strike of another?
  • Leader-follower dynamics: How do leaders organize collective action, particularly in contexts of warfare? Why and when should anyone follow them? Do leaders always prioritize group interests, and when don’t they? When and how do leaders engage in domestic manipulation in order to facilitate attacks against foreign targets?
  • The role of emotions in violence (e.g. anger vs. hatred): Why are some communities locked in “struggles to the death” while at other times, limited strategic objectives are satisfactory? Under what contexts do we have “respect for the adversary” versus preferring the adversary’s death at all costs? Is there such a thing as the “warrior’s code”?
  • Political extremism and recruitment in violent political organizations: What makes a group worthy of the title “extremist,” and why and when do such groups appeal to individuals who may even live thousands of miles away? What is the role of identity and ideology in the formation and longevity of groups generally, but extremist groups specifically? What compels an individual to make the ultimate sacrifice for their group?
  • The evolution of warfare: What are the historical and evolutionary origins of human inter-group violence? How has the nature and practice of warfare changed over the many centuries since its emergence, and what explains those changes? Can it be said that warfare is in some way a part of ‘human nature’?
  • The evolutionary origins of political behavior: What does our long evolutionary history as a species tell us about the ways in which we engage in politics? Are we, as Aristotle suggested, ‘political animals’?

Publication List: