Olivia Efthimiou is an Honorary Postdoctoral Associate in the School of Arts at Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.

Scott T. Allison is Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond, USA.

Zeno E. Franco is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA.

Foreword Julie Ann Pooley

Introduction - Heroism and Wellbeing in the 21st century: Recognising and Reconciling With Our Personal Heroic Imperative

Olivia Efthimiou, Scott T. Allison, Zeno E. Franco

Preface: Letters from the Ground

Preface 1: Becoming an Everyday Hero Michelle Werning

Preface 2: Fear and Love: The Heart of Heroism and a Life Well Lived Hanne Viken

Section 1: Historical Contexts

1 Transforming Through Ambivalence: Failure, Deviance and Contradiction in Heroism Graham Seal

2 Rethinking Hero Status in Colonial Western Australia: A Step Toward Reconciliation Sarah Booth and Luciano Pavez

3 Rebuilding Lives: Heroism and Gender in The Great War Community of an Australian Soldier Margaret Warburton

Section 2: Teaching and Fostering Heroism

4 The Heroic Learner: Engaging and Inspiring Students Through the Art of Heroism Joanna Pascoe

5 The Hero's Journey: A Mudmap to Wellbeing Clive Williams

6 Personal Heroism Through Fact and Fiction: Safeguarding Truth and Freedom in the Utopia of Star Trek and the Whistleblowing of Edward Snowden Chris Comerford

Section 3: Contemporary Professional Practices

7 Fake Heroism as a Mechanism for Mafia Offer: A Critical Realism Perspective on the Abuse of Heroism Layla Al-Hameed

8 Lawyers as Heroes: Fostering Holistic Wellbeing by Developing Heroic Virtues in Law Students Nick James and Francina Cantatore

9 The Visible-Invisible School Leader: Redefining Heroism and Offering Alternate Metaphors for Educational Leadership Deborah M. Netolicky

Section 4: Crisis, Displacement and Recovery

10 Paradoxical Heroism: Heroic Altruism and Wellbeing During and After the Holocaust Stephanie Fagin-Jones

11 Heroic Feat: An Aboriginal Sport Club's Collective Journey to Healthy Resistance Amma Buckley and Craig Turley

12 The Unintended Consequences of Heroism or Acts of Bravery on Civilians Thomas Voigt, Andrew Day, and Susan Balandin

13 The Adversity Antidote: How Heroism Education is Being Employed to Navigate Hardship and Achieve Wellbeing in Flint Michigan Ellie Jacques

Conclusion: Definition, Synthesis and Applications of Heroic Wellbeing Olivia Efthimiou, Scott T. Allison, and Zeno E. Franco

Offering a holistic take on an emerging field, this edited collection examines how heroism manifests, is appropriated, and is constructed in a broad range of settings and from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. Psychologists, educators, lawyers, researchers and cultural analysts consider how heroism intersects with wellbeing, and how we still use-and even abuse-heroism as a vehicle to thrive and prosper in the everyday and in the face of the most unbearable situations. Highlighting some of the most pressing issues in today's world-including genocide, racism, deceitful business practices, bystanderism, mental health, unethical governance and the global refugee crisis-this book applies a critical psychological perspective in synthesizing the social construction of heroism and wellbeing, contributing to the development of global wellbeing indicators and measures.