Overview

Positioning itself within significant developments in genocide studies arising from misgivings about two noteworthy observers, Arendt and Milgram, this book asks what lies 'beyond the banality of evil'? And suggests the answer lies within criminology.Offering the author's reflections about how to interpret genocide as a crime, Beyond the Banality of Evil: Criminology and Genocide endeavours to understand how the theories of criminal motivation might shed light on these stunning events and make them comprehensible. While a great deal has been written about the shortcomings of the obedience paradigm and 'desk murderers' when discussing the Holocaust, little has been said of what results when investigations are taken beyond these limitations. Through examination and analysis of the literature surrounding genocide studies, Brannigan frames the events within a general theoretical approach to crime before applying his own revised model, specifically to Rwanda and drawn from field-work in 2004 and 2005. This provides a new and compelling account of the dynamics of the 1994 genocide and its distinctive attributes of speed, popularity, totality and emotional indifference. With a focus on the disarticulation of personal culpability among ordinary perpetrators, Beyond the Banality of Evil questions the effectiveness of individual-level guilt imputation in these politically based, collectively orchestrated crimes, and raises doubts about the utility of criminal indictments that have evolved in the context of models of individual misconduct.

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9780199674626

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Reviews

Beyond the Banality of Evil is a work of major consequence. It brings to bear a lifetime of thought on unspeakable crimes ignored by criminology. Brannigan's book deserves to be read time and again by those interested in concentrated evil and superb scholarship. Travis Hirschi, Regents Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona Beyond the banality of evil is criminology 'on the edge' at its best. Brannigan charts a course through the dangerous waters surrounding genocide with great skill this book has lessons to offer not only to the nation states we might commonly think of as being at risk, but also to many developed countries where the atrophy of democratic processes could possibly allow the unthinkable to happen there as well. W.G. Carson, Honorary Professorial Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Beyond the Banality of Evil brings the crime of genocide into mainstream criminology with a provocative perspective that sheds new light on the mentality of its perpetrators. This work juxtaposes the mentality of the perpetrators with assumptions of criminal law, and raises important questions about the deterrent significance of the international legal responses to such crimes. Students of genocide will find this a provocative and engaging book. John Hagan, John D. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and Law, Northwestern University Beyond the Banality of Evil is one of the most stimulating scholarly works in genocide studies and criminology published in recent years. It successfully bridges criminology with genocide studies and is a significant addition to both disciplines [...] lucidly written and full of thought-provoking critiques of traditional views, and insightful and resonant observations and analysis.' Zhiqiu Li Asian Journal of Criminology A widely researched and carefully argued intervention in genocide from the perspective of criminology, Augstine Brannigan's Beyond the Banality of Evil is an important book, not least because of the intersection between these two fields seems so obviously illuminating yet is so little investigated. Rebecca Saunders, Dialogues on Historical Memory and Justice Network

iBeyond the Banality of Evilr is a work of major consequence. It brings to bear a lifetime of thought on unspeakable crimes ignored by criminologyi[Brannigan's]r book deserves to be read time and again by those interested in concentrated evil and superb scholarship. Travis Hirschi, Regents Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona iBeyond the banality of evilr is criminology 'on the edge' at its best. iBranniganr charts a course through the dangerous waters surrounding genocide with great skill this book has lessons to offer not only to the nation states we might commonly think of as being at risk, but also to many developed countries where the atrophy of democratic processes could possibly allow the unthinkable to happen there as well. W.G. Carson, Honorary Professorial Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Beyond the Banality of Evil brings the crime of genocide into mainstream criminology with a provocative perspective that sheds new light on the mentality of its perpetrators. This work juxtaposes the mentality of the perpetrators with assumptions of criminal law, and raises important questions about the deterrent significance of the international legal responses to such crimes. Students of genocide will find this a provocative and engaging book. John Hagan, John D. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and Law, Northwestern University

Author Information

Professor Augustine Brannigan is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Calgary. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1978 and has written extensively on criminological theory and crime control in Canada. His research interests have extended to the patterns of victimization of non-combatants in contexts of war and civil war, terrorism and genocide.

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