The Psychology of War-Ridden Citizens

In this anecdotal conflict account keynote, journalist Janine di Giovanni details some of her experience witnessing citizen behaviour in war torn countries. Di Giovanni tells a story of her time in Bengazi, Bosnia during the onset of a war. She borrows a story of a friend of hers who was walking to work in a skirt and high heels one day when she saw an army tank barreling down the road. She felt ridiculous, but she hid behind a garbage dumpster as the tank passed by her. Until that moment, her life was normal. She had been making plans and thinking about the day ahead, but once the war began her life became "a suspended animation."

Di Giovanni explains how the beginning of a war completely alters citizens' perception of reality. By way of this, she also reveals that many citizens don't take the necessary steps to remove themselves from their homes because they don't want to believe the war is real.