Seeing Is Disbelieving
Why People Believe Misinformation in War, and When They Know Better

Examines why people believe dangerous misinformation in war, and why those on the front lines often know better.

Daniel Silverman (Author)

9781009523585, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 21 November 2024

204 pages
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.1 cm, 0.29 kg

'Silverman has identified a gap between the study of war and the study of conspiracy theories, contending that 'understanding misinformation in war and conflict … has received little scholarly attention'. The author's thesis is that misinformation takes hold and persists when people believe what they want to believe and what they are told to believe, regardless of whether it has a factual basis … Recommended.' S. Clerc, CHOICE

Factual misinformation is spread in conflict zones around the world, often with dire consequences. But when is this misinformation actually believed, and when is it not? Seeing is Disbelieving examines the appeal and limits of dangerous misinformation in war, and is the go-to text for understanding false beliefs and their impact in modern armed conflict. Daniel Silverman extends the burgeoning study of factual misinformation, conspiracy theories, and fake news in social and political life into a crucial new domain, while providing a powerful new argument about the limits of misinformation in high-stakes situations. Rich evidence from the US drone campaign in Pakistan, the counterinsurgency against ISIL in Iraq, and the Syrian civil war provide the backdrop for practical lessons in promoting peace, fighting wars, managing conflict, and countering misinformation more effectively.

1. Introduction: the problem of factual misinformation and misperception in war
2. A theory of people's factual beliefs and credulity in war
3. Factual misperceptions in the US drone campaign in Pakistan
4. Proximity to the fighting and the puncturing of factual bias in Iraq
5. Truth discernment and personal exposure in the Syrian civil war
6. Understanding and mitigating the appeal of falsehood in wartime.

Subject Areas: Comparative politics [JPB]