Crimes of Power & States of Impunity: The U.S. Response to Terror

by Michael Welch

Overview

Since 9/11, a new configuration of power situated at the core of the executive branch of the U.S. government has taken hold. In Crimes of Power & States of Impunity, Michael Welch takes a close look at the key historical, political, and economic forces shaping the country's response to terror.

Welch continues the work he began in Scapegoats of September 11th and argues that current U.S. policies, many enacted after the attacks, undermine basic human rights and violate domestic and international law. He recounts these offenses and analyzes the system that sanctions them, offering fresh insight into the complex relationship between power and state crime. Welch critically examines the unlawful enemy combatant designation, Guantanamo Bay, recent torture cases, and collateral damage relating to the war in Iraq. This book transcends important legal arguments as Welch strives for a broader sociological interpretation of what transpired early this century, analyzing the abuses of power that jeopardize our safety and security.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813544359
Publisher:	Rutgers University Press
Publication date:	01/07/2009
Series:	Critical Issues in Crime and Society
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Michael Welch is a professor of criminal justice at Rutgers University. He is the author of many books, including Scapegoats of September 11th (Rutgers University Press).

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements
Part 1 Presenting History
1 A post-9/11 world
2 A new configuration of power
Part 2 Prime Targeting
3 Unlawful enemy combatants
4 Guantanamo Bay
5 Torture
Part 3 Expanding Range
6 Ordering Iraq
7 Collateral damage
Part 4 Lasting Legacies
8 Governing through terror
9 States of impunity
Appendix
Notes
Cases
References
Index