A history of political murder in Latin America : killing the messengers of change / W. John Green.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Green, W. John, 1963- author.

Series:

SUNY series in global modernity.

SUNY Series in Global Modernity

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political violence--Latin America--History--20th century.

Political violence.

Murder--Latin America--History--20th century.

Murder.

Assassination--Latin America--History--20th century.

Assassination.

Disappeared persons--Latin America--History--20th century.

Disappeared persons.

Massacres--Latin America--History--20th century.

Massacres.

Political persecution--Latin America--History--20th century.

Political persecution.

State-sponsored terrorism--Latin America--History--20th century.

State-sponsored terrorism.

Political culture--Latin America--History--20th century.

Political culture.

Latin America--Politics and government--20th century.

Latin America.

Latin America--Social conditions--20th century.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (384 p.)

Place of Publication:

Albany, New York : Suny Press, 2015.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This expansive history depicts Latin America's pan-regional culture of political murder. Unlike typical studies of the region, which often focus on the issues or trends of individual countries, this work focuses thematically on the nature of political murder itself, comparing and contrasting its uses and practices throughout the region. W. John Green examines the entire system of political murder: the methods and justifications the perpetrators employ, the victims, and the consequences for Latin American societies. Green demonstrates that elite and state actors have been responsible for most political murders, assassinating the leaders of popular movements and other messengers of change. Latin American elites have also often targeted the potential audience for these messages through the region's various "dirty wars." In spite of regional differences, elites across the region have displayed considerable uniformity in justifying their use of murder, imagining themselves in a class war with democratic forces. While the United States has often been complicit in such violence, Green notes that this has not been universally true, with US support waxing and waning. A detailed appendix, exploring political murder country by country, provides an additional resource for readers.

Contents:

""Contents""; ""Preface and Acknowledgments""; ""Map of Mexico and Central America""; ""Map of South America""; ""Key Terms and Acronyms by Country""; ""Argentina""; ""Bolivia""; ""Brazil""; ""Chile""; ""Colombia""; ""Cuba""; ""Dominican Republic""; ""El Salvador""; ""Guatemala""; ""Honduras""; ""Mexico""; ""Nicaragua""; ""Panama""; ""Paraguay""; ""Peru""; ""Uruguay""; ""Introduction: A Political Culture of Murder""; ""Part I: The Practice of Political Murder in Latin America""; ""1 Targets and Victims""; ""Revolutionaries and Former Guerrillas""; ""Popular Politicians""

""Journalists, Academics, Intellectuals, Artists, and Teachers""""Church Men and Women""; ""Generals, Diplomats, Judges, and Lawyers""; ""Human Rights Activists, Labor and Community Leaders, Students""; ""Mass Slaughters""; ""Words on the Lesser Tradition""; ""2 Dirty War Mechanics""; ""Precursors and Innovators""; ""Direct Military Operations""; ""Covert Military Death Squad Operations""; ""Police Death Squads""; ""Political Party Death Squads""; ""Paramilitaries""; ""Freelancers and Rogues""; ""3 Bodies of the Slain""; ""Dust to Dust""; ""Ancient Traditions""; ""Purposeful Displays""

""Torture, Mutilation, and Ideas""""Questions of Disposal""; ""Bodies as Witnesses""; ""Part II: Justifications, Associations, and Consequences""; ""4 Dirty Warriors on Dirty War""; ""Bloody Class Struggle (And from the Top Down)""; ""Justifications""; ""Subversion as Disease""; ""The Law: Co-Opted, Circumvented, and Ignored""; ""National Security Doctrines""; ""More Practice than Theory""; ""5 International Collaborations and the Conflicted Roles of the United States""; ""The American Empire""; ""A Split Personality""; ""The Agency Problem""; ""Flight of the Condor""

""Exporting the Counter Revolution""""6 The Enduring Appeal and Continuing Challenge of Political Murder in Latin America and Beyond""; ""A Living Tradition of Death""; ""Fear and Resistance""; ""Practical Issues: Peace, Justice, and Impunity""; ""Conclusions and Prospects""; ""Appendix: Political Murder in Latin America: Individual Country Narratives""; ""Argentina""; ""Bolivia""; ""Brazil""; ""Chile""; ""Colombia""; ""Cuba""; ""Dominican Republic""; ""Ecuador""; ""El Salvador""; ""Guatemala""; ""Honduras""; ""Mexico""; ""Nicaragua""; ""Panama""; ""Paraguay""; ""Peru""; ""Uruguay""

""Notes""""Bibliography""; ""General Works on Political Violence, Murder, Genocide, Assassination, Culture, and the Human Body""; ""Political Violence and Murder in Latin America as a Region""; ""Argentina""; ""Bolivia""; ""Brazil""; ""Chile""; ""Colombia""; ""Cuba/Panama/Ecuador""; ""Dominican Republic""; ""El Salvador""; ""Guatemala""; ""Honduras""; ""Mexico""; ""Nicaragua""; ""Paraguay""; ""Peru""; ""Uruguay""; ""Index""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781438456652

1438456654