Description
Book SynopsisSet in the larger context of the evolution of international human rights, this cogent book examines the tragic development and ultimate resolution of Latin America''s human rights crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. Thomas Wright focuses especially on state terrorism in Chile under General Augusto Pinochet (19731990) and in Argentina during the Dirty War (19761983). The author probes the background of these regimes, the methodology of state terrorism, and the human rights movements that emerged in urgent response to the brutality of institutionalized torture, murder, and disappearance. He also discusses the legacies of state terrorism in the post-dictatorial period, particularly the bitter battle between demands for justice and the military''s claim of impunity. Central to this struggle was the politics of memory as two radically different versions of the countries'' recent history clashed: had the militaries conducted legitimate wars against subversion or had they exercised terrorism based
Trade ReviewThomas Wright helps us to understand the ways in which justice and impunity have clashed head on in the crisis over human rights in Latin America. . . . Tell[s] a most instructive and comprehensive story through the comparison of Chile and Argentina. . . . This book will be useful for graduate and undergraduate courses in Latin America, peace and justice studies, and democratization, as well as for those interested in better understanding why it has taken so long for justice to be obtained in Latin America. -- Susan Berger * Journal of Latin American Studies *
Thomas C. Wright's State Terrorism in Latin America provides a concise and extremely readable synthesis. . . . Wright's comparative approach offers fresh insights. . . . Wright's international perspective marks a truly original contribution, and his broad synthesis brings together material that was formerly scattered in more specialized studies. * Hispanic American Historical Review *
Wright draws from extensive personal interviews as well as scholarly resources to explore the impact of state terrorism in Latin America between l970 and 1990. . . . Well written with full documentation, his book makes a valuable contribution to both Latin American and international human rights scholarship. . . . Highly recommended. * CHOICE *
An in-depth account of the Chilean and Argentine dictatorships. His cogent descriptions of their rise to power, their evolving structures, and their systematic abuses provide an excellent overview of this period, particularly for those new to the field. . . . Detailed, compelling, and highly useful . . . it has value for novices and experts alike. * Journal of Interdisciplinary History *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Human Rights, State Terrorism, and Latin America Chapter 1: The Human Rights Revolution Chapter 2: The Latin American Human Rights Crisis Part II: The Dirty Wars Chapter 3: Chile under State Terrorism Chapter 4: The Dirty War in Argentina Part III: Justice versus Impunity Chapter 5: Argentina: The Sinuous Path of Transitional Justice Chapter 6: Chile: Impunity, Truth, and Justice in a Protected Democracy Conclusion: Chile, Argentina, and International Human Rights
