Heroism and Wellbeing in the 21st Century

"This book takes the study of heroism into new and unexpected areas and brings in new discussion partners with fresh ideas on the topic"

- Suzanne Mallery, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, La Sierra University, USA.

"Efthimiou, Allison and Franco’s Heroism and Well-Being in the 21st Century advances our understanding of the vital but unexplored links between heroism and human well-being. Weaving together an impressive body of theory and evidence, it presents a compelling argument for a new construct, heroic well-being, providing scholars with an original and fertile framework for future research."

- Roderick Kramer, William R. Kimball Professor of Organizational Behavior, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, USA.

"Research on heroism often considers how grand gestures by famous men and women can affect ordinary people. In the current volume, editors Olivia Efthimiou, Scott T. Allison, and Zeno E. Franco put forward a unique thesis that implicitly comments on this tradition. They focus on the way in which ordinary people can engage in heroic actions that—in turn—provide themselves, through improvements in their own well-being, as well as others, with the benefit of this heroism. The authors invited to contribute this edited volume examine this thesis using a wide variety of case studies ranging from the response of citizens in Flint, Michigan to the crisis of contaminated drinking water to contributions that young lawyers can make toward improving their communities. They even apply the well-being that can be created by heroic action to the interpretation of mass media such as the iconic television show Star Trek. In addition to a wide range of topics, the perspectives advanced by the authors also reflect an international perspective, with contributors coming from countries like the United States, Norway, Australia, Germany, and Iraq. The broad range of topics, coupled with the international perspectives, makes this unique volume a valuable contribution to both research on heroism as well as social activism."

- James K. Beggan, PhD, Professor of Sociology, University of Louisville, USA.

"This engaging text provides a valuable resource for examining different perspectives about the human capacity for heroism in the face of adversity, and the role of heroes in promoting resilience and wellbeing in others. These thought-provoking chapters are likely to inspire others to organise new research and seminars on these topics for many years to come. "

- Elaine Kinsella, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Ireland