Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism
Author | : Robert Jay Lifton |
Publisher | : UNC Press Books |
Total Pages | : 525 |
Release | : 2012-01-01 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780807882887 |
ISBN-13 | : 0807882887 |
Rating | : 4/5 (87 Downloads) |
Download or read book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism written by Robert Jay Lifton and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 525 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Informed by Erik Erikson's concept of the formation of ego identity, this book, which first appreared in 1961, is an analysis of the experiences of fifteen Chinese citizens and twenty-five Westerners who underwent "brainwashing" by the Communist Chinese government. Robert Lifton constructs these case histories through personal interviews and outlines a thematic pattern of death and rebirth, accompanied by feelings of guilt, that characterizes the process of "thought reform." In a new preface, Lifton addresses the implications of his model for the study of American religious cults.