Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave and Exterminate Others.

What is it about human nature that makes it possible for us to demean, enslave, and exterminate other human beings?  What are the psychological processes that enable ordinary human beings to slaughter and mistreat their fellow human beings?

“Brute.” “Cockroach.” “Louse.” “Vermin.” “Dog.” “Beast.” Terms like these are used to refer to other humans as a prelude or accompaniment to violence and oppression. However, dehumanizing discourse is not mere metaphor. It is a way of conceiving of others that has played a crucial role in genocide, slavery, war, and other atrocities.

Less Than Human is the first and only book of its kind.  It draws on history, psychology, biology, anthropology, and philosophy to  explain the dynamics of dehumanization, describe the forms that it typically takes, and explain why we so often resort to it.  To do this, I lead the reader on a journey in time, from the Stone Age to the 21st century, as well as on a journey into the depths of the human mind.