State Terrorism in Latin America: Chile, Argentina, and International Human Rights (Latin American Silhouettes) - Tapa dura

Thomas 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 *

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 (1973-1990) and in Argentina during the Dirty War (1976-1983). He offers a nuanced exploration of the reciprocal relationship between Argentina and Chile and human rights movements, clearly demonstrating how state terrorism in these countries strengthened the international human rights lobby and how, in turn, that more powerful lobby ultimately helped bring repressors to justice. These intertwined themes make this book important reading not only for Latin Americanists but for students of human rights and international relations as well.