New Books in Psychology

Alette Smeulers, "Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities: Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?" (Routledge, 2023)

Jan 12, 2025

In this discussion featuring Alette Smeulers, a law professor specializing in mass violence, the complexities of perpetrators are unraveled. Smeulers examines the motivations behind mass atrocities, distinguishing between ideological 'fanatics' and psychologically troubled individuals. The conversation delves into personal backgrounds influencing violent behavior, while exploring concepts like compromised perpetrators and the psychological effects of violence. Smeulers emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics for accountability and prevention in both society and education.

54:56

Episode guests

Alette Smeulers

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Mass atrocities often involve ordinary individuals influenced by societal norms and situational pressures rather than inherently evil people.

Understanding the diverse motivations behind perpetrators' actions is essential for developing effective interventions to prevent future atrocities.

Deep dives

Understanding Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities

Most perpetrators of mass atrocities are ordinary people, challenging the notion that only inherently evil individuals commit such crimes. Research emphasizes that individuals are influenced by various factors such as obedience, ideology, and personal interests. The book seeks to provide nuance by categorizing different types of perpetrators, including fanatics driven by ideology and followers who conform out of obedience. This understanding helps to break down the simplistic view of perpetrators into a more complex classification that reflects the diversity of motivations behind their actions.

Intro

2min

Understanding Mass Atrocities: The Psychology of Perpetrators

14min

Understanding Perpetrator Motivations: A Complex Typology

5min

The Nuances of Profit in Times of Collective Violence

2min

The Dilemma of Compromised Perpetrators

6min

The Psychology of Violence: Understanding Perpetrators

13min

Cultivating Accountability in Education and Society

9min

The 9/11 attacks, as well as the ones in Madrid, London, Paris and Brussels; the genocides in Nazi Germany, Rwanda and Cambodia; the torture in dictatorial regimes; the wars in former Yugoslavia, Syria and Iraq and currently in Ukraine; the sexual violence during periods of conflict, all make us wonder: why would anyone do something like that? Who are these people?

Drawing on 30 years of research, Alette Smeulers explores the perpetrators of mass atrocities such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and terrorism. Examining questions of why people kill and torture and how mass atrocities can be explained, Smeulers presents a typology of perpetrators, with different ranks, roles and motives. Devoting one chapter to each type of perpetrator, Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities: Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal? (Routledge, 2023) combines insights from academic research with illustrative case studies of well-known perpetrators, from dictators to middlemen, to lower ranking officials and terrorists. Their stories are explored in depth as the book examines their behaviour and motivation. Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities thus provides a comprehensive understanding of the causes of extreme mass violence. Such knowledge not only can help the international criminal justice system to be able to attribute blame in a fairer way but can also assist in preventing such atrocities being committed on the current scale. Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities is essential reading for all those interested in war crimes, genocide, terrorism and mass violence.

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