VSI Trust

In an age where every other news story seems to centre on cross-examinations and enquiries of senior figures, the issue of trust and perhaps more importantly, distrust, has never been more relevant.

How trusting should we be? Can we stay alive and function in society without trust? Can being overly-trustful be dangerous? Is it a virtue or a weakness? Why do we value it, and why do we want to be trusted, rather than distrusted?

In this Very Short Introduction, Katherine Hawley explores the key ideas about trust and distrust. Considering questions such as 'Why do we value trust?' and “Why do we want to be trusted rather than distrusted?', Hawley raises issues about the importance of trust in both the personal and public spheres, including family and relationships as well as politics and society. The book draws on a range of disciplines to show how trust is at the centre of many concepts, including biology, psychology, and even game theory. It also considers the evolutionary aspects of trust and its impacts.

9780199697342 | Ł7.99 | 23 August 2012

For author lectures/interview/review copy/author article – Contact – chloe.foster@oup.com Tel: 01865 353584