Why We Fight

Christopher Blattman — the Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies at the University of Chicago — details the surprising survival of humanity despite ongoing war and ever more powerful weaponry. He convincingly explains that humans prefer compromising to fighting.

Negotiate or Don’t

Even when war seems an inevitable outcome, most adversaries seek peace. For example, consider two rival street gangs in Medellín, Colombia. The gang Pachelly had long held power, but their opponent, El Mesa, was gaining territory and recruiting soldiers. In a 2012 prison beef, rival gang members shot 23 prisoners and guards.