Viking wins debut from 'political neuroscience pioneer' in 13-way auction

Viking has won a 13-way bidding war for a “landmark” debut on how ideologies take hold in the brain by scientist Leor Zmigrod. 

Connor Brown, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Rebecca Carter at her recently launched eponymous agency to The Ideological Brain by Zmigrod, a prize-winning scientist and “pioneer in the field of political neuroscience”. Viking said: “The book attracted considerable interest at the London Book Fair with Flammarion pre-empting French rights, and auctions ongoing in other territories." The book will be published in hardback in spring 2025.

The blurb reads: “Why do some people become radicalised? How do ideologies coerce human brains? And how can we unchain our minds from toxic dogmas? The Ideological Brain reveals the deep connection between political beliefs and the biology of the brain. 

“Drawing on her own pioneering research, Dr Leor Zmigrod reveals the complex interplay between biology and environment that predisposes some to ‘rigid thinking’, and explains how ideologies take hold of our brains, fundamentally changing the way we think, act and interact with others. She shows how ideologues of all types struggle to change their thought patterns when faced with new information, culminating in the radical message that our politics are not superficial – politics can become cellular.” 

Viking said: “This authoritative, accessible and playful blend of psychology, politics and philosophy takes us to the cutting-edge of the new field of political neuroscience, explains its historical roots and looks to the future, exploring the broader social and political implications of Zmigrod’s experiments. We see how everyone can keep their minds open and flexible in the face of extremist ideologies, and why we should.” 

Brown said: “The Ideological Brain will be a lead non-fiction title for Viking, and it explores the revolutionary connection between political beliefs and what is happening in our brains. As well as being an important new thinker and pioneer in the fascinating field of political neuroscience, Leor is a superb writer – her prose is beautiful and accessible and she engages with the reader in a wonderfully playful way. We are thrilled to be working with Leor on what promises to be an extraordinary book.” 

Zmigrod commented: “I am passionate about science writing that seeks to illuminate both the natural world – including our minds and bodies – and our understanding of politics, history, and philosophy. I hope that The Ideological Brain will be a book that can elucidate the links between our biological lives and political lives, weaving together the exciting new discipline of political neuroscience with the timeless questions of what it means to internalise dogmatic belief systems. The book will reveal why ideologies are so enticing to our predictive minds and how deep immersion in rigid ideologies can literally shape our brains."

She added: "I believe this science should provoke us to rethink and critique the nature of power, dogmatism, and devotion – and at the same time, help us to understand what the free, authentic, and anti-ideological brain looks like too. I’m delighted to be working with Viking to bring these ideas to a wider audience.” 

Zmigrod studied at Cambridge University as a Gates Scholar before winning a Junior Research Fellowship at Churchill College, Cambridge, aged 24. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers and held visiting fellowships at Stanford, Harvard and both the Berlin and Paris Institutes for Advanced Study. Listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science, she has won numerous prizes, including the Women of the Future Science Award. She has spoken at the Hay Festival and TEDx and her research has been featured widely in the media. Zmigrod advises policymakers at the United Nations, the UK and US governments, and other international organisations.