Catastrophes and conflicts : scientific approaches to their control / Klaus Gottstein.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Humanity is threatened to an increasing degree by environmental and technical catastrophes, economic disasters, wars and ethnic conflicts. This book describes what the international community of scientific institutions could do to reverse this trend, by pooling its know-how and resources in international and interdisciplinary working groups and standing committees, by preparing options for action, and by studying the possibilities for overcoming the political and economic obstacles to the implementation of expert advice."--Jacket.

1. Catastrophes as By-Products of Human Activities: How can they be avoided? -- 2. Pluralism and Pugnacity: The collapse of central authority, what it entails, and the task of scientific institutions -- 3. New Patterns of Conflict, Old Methods of Conflict Resolution? The necessity of new approaches based on a more thorough use of the resources of natural and political science, psychology, history and international law -- 4. A Negative Goal for Science: The prevention of social disasters by interdisciplinary, international scientific co-operation -- 5. Is There Any Hope for the Control of Regional Conflicts by Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs)? -- 6. The Need for Neutral Scientific Advice in Complex Situations of High Risk -- 7. Arms Proliferation and Nationalism as Parts of the Network of Threats to Peace and Security: The role of fear -- 8. Violent and Peaceful Settlements of Ethnic Conflicts: Some theses on the determinants -- 9. Modern Methods of Information Storage and Exchange in the Service of Problem Clarification, Crisis Management and Conflict Solution: A proposal -- 10. The Multiplicity of Human Philosophies, and the Threat Perceptions Appearing in the Absence of Common Enemies or Joint Goals -- 11. The Relations Between Industrialized and Developing Countries -- 12. Changing of Long-Range Political Goals as a Psychological Pre-requisite for Progress in Arms Control -- 13. SDI and Stability: The role of assumptions and perceptions -- 14. Trust Creation by Discussion of Long-Range Goals -- 15. Western Perceptions of Soviet Goals: An educating example from the beginning of the end of the Cold War -- 16. Mutual Perceptions of Long-Range Goals: Can the United States and the Soviet Union co-operate permanently? -- 17. Integrated Europe? A survey of European perceptions of Europe's role in regional and global political and economic co-operation.

18. Perceptions of the Europe of Tomorrow -- 19. International "Security in a Wider Sense" -- 20. Science Advice to the United Nations -- 21. The Scientific Culture and Its Role in International Negotiations -- 22. The New World Order and the Role of Science: Final remarks -- 23. Summaries. a. Questions needing further research. born On the psychology of friendly and enmical groups. c. General dangers. d. Tasks for the institutions of science.