Seeing Is Disbelieving

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

Daniel Silverman

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2024
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• eBook ISBN:
  9781009523608
• Subtopic: Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

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.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title page
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Preface and Acknowledgments
• 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
• Appendix
• References
• Index