States are more likely to engage in risky and destabilizing actions such as military buildups and preemptive strikes if they believe their adversaries pose a tangible threat. This book draws on a wealth of historical archival evidence to shed new light on how world leaders and intelligence organizations actually make these assessments.
Yarhi-Milo addresses an important theoretical question, proposes a novel and powerful psychological explanation, and systematically tests it with statistical analysis, experiments, and case studies. The multimethod research design is a model for scholars to emulate, and the detailed case studies alone are worth the price of the book. Who Fights for Reputation has enormous implications for policy, and is a major contribution to international relations and political psychology. --Jack S. Levy, Rutgers University