Experts in the intelligence community say that torture is ineffective. Yet much of the public appears unconvinced: surveys show that nearly half of Americans think that torture can be acceptable for counterterrorism purposes. Why do people persist in supporting torture-and can they be persuaded to change their minds?
In Tortured Logic, Erin M. Kearns and Joseph K. Young draw upon a novel series of group experiments to understand how and why the average citizen might come to support the use of torture techniques. They find evidence that when torture is depicted as effective in the media, people are more likely to approve of it. Their analysis weighs variables such as the ethnicity of the interrogator and the suspect; the salience of one's own mortality; and framing by experts. Kearns and Young also examine who changes their opinions about torture and how, demonstrating that only some individuals have fixed views while others have more malleable beliefs. They argue that efforts to reduce support for torture should focus on convincing those with fluid views that torture is ineffective. The book features interviews with experienced interrogators and professionals working in the field to contextualize its findings. Bringing empirical rigor to a fraught topic, Tortured Logic has important implications for understanding public perceptions of counterterrorism strategy.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
In this compelling and salient book, Kearns and Young inject needed experimental evidence into discussions about why and under what conditions the public supports the use of torture in the service of counterterrorism. A must read for any serious student or scholar of counterterrorism. -- James A. Piazza, Pennsylvania State University In Tortured Logic, Kearns and Young use clever experiments and careful interviews to provide compelling evidence that public support for torture depends on context. That public support for government violence is so malleable should be of great interest-and potential concern-to social scientists and policymakers alike. -- Courtenay R. Conrad, coauthor of <i>Contentious Compliance: Dissent and Repression under International Human Rights Law</i> Tortured Logic is written by two stellar researchers, one a political scientist and the other a criminologist, which gives this book a strong interdisciplinary perspective. Together, the two authors bring an array of skills that make them well suited to produce a volume of this caliber. -- Victor Asal, University at Albany, State University of New York Kearns and Young have provided a masterful book which is thought-provoking, richly detailed, and speaks to important policy questions, not to mention pressing ethical debates about the rights of detainees in the war on terrorism. * H-Diplo *
Reihe
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Produkt-Hinweis
Maße
Höhe: 229 mm
Breite: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-231-18897-5 (9780231188975)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Erin M. Kearns is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Alabama.
Joseph K. Young is a professor at American University with a joint appointment in the School of Public Affairs and the School of International Service.
Acknowledgments
Introduction: What Impacts Public Perception of Torture in Counterterrorism?
1. Media and Perceptions of Torture
2. Fear, Death, and TV
3. Context Matters?
4. Elite Cues, Identity, and Efficacy
Conclusion: Torture, Terrorism, and the Future
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index
