The Politics Of Pain: Torturers And Their Masters

by Ronald D Crelinsten, Alex Schmid

Overview

Although a wave of democratization appears to be sweeping the globe, torture persists in more than seventy-five nations. Despite widespread condemnation of torture and the efforts of international and nongovernmental organizations to end it, the "politics of pain" continues in a broad range of social and political systems. This book is one of the first to systematically examine the psychological, cultural, and social origins of torture. It provides profiles of torturers and of those who direct them in their brutal activities. The contributors provide case studies from the past and present, including Somoza's National Guard in Nicaragua and regimes in the Southern Cone of Latin America and in Greece.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781000304787
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/11/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	195
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Ronald D. Crelinsten, Alex P. Schmid

Table of Contents

Foreword -- Introduction: The Politics of Pain -- Torturers and Their Masters -- The Social Context of Torture: Policy Process and Authority Structure -- In Their Own Words: The World of the Torturer -- The Military, Torture and Human Rights: Experiences from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay -- Torture: Psychological and Cultural Origins -- Somoza's National Guard: A Study of Human Rights Abuses, Psychological Health and Moral Development -- The Official Torturer: A Learning Model for Obedience to the Authority of Violence -- Torture—Definition and Legal Instruments

Editorial Reviews

A broad overview of state-sanctioned torture, said to be widespread despite the nearly universal condemnation of it in international circles. Considers the social context, the perspective of torturers, the military in several South American countries, psychological and cultural origins, Somoza's National Guard in Nicaragua, and a learning model for obedience to the authority of violence. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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