Institute of Criminology Public Seminars: 'Obedience and Disobedience - or why (nearly) everything you thought you knew about Milgram is wrong' - Prof S Reicher

Speaker: Stephen Reicher, Professor of Psychology, University of St Andrews

This seminar questions the traditional view that people obey toxic authorities through inattention to the consequences of their actions. Instead I present a model of ‘the engaged follower’ whereby people commit harm because they believe that they are doing right. I will support this argument both through historical evidence, archival investigation and a program of new studies which reinterpret Stanley Milgram’s old research.

Stephen Reicher is Professor of Psychology at the University of St. Andrews. He is a social psychologist interested in issues of social identity and collective action. His research has covered such topics as crowd action and the bases of crowd violence; leadership and mass political rhetoric, intergroup hatred and the psychology of tyranny. His latest books are ‘The New Psychology of Leadership' (with Alex Haslam and Michael Platow) and ‘Mad Mobs and Englishmen: Myths and Realities of the 2011 Riots’ (with Clifford Stott).

The IoC Public Seminar Series is open to all interested in attending, with no ticket required. If you wish to be added to the seminar mailing list, please contact: Joanne Garner, on: jf225@cam.ac.uk