Mortal Doubt: Transnational Gangs and Social Order in Guatemala City (Volume 1) (Atelier: Ethnographic Inquiry in the Twenty-First Century)

The fear of violent crime dominates Guatemala City. In the midst of unprecedented levels of postwar violence, Guatemalans struggle to fathom the myriad forces that have made life in this city so deeply insecure. Born out of histories of state terror, migration, and US deportation, maras (transnational gangs) have become the face of this new era of violence. They are brutal organizations engaged in extortion, contract killings, and the drug trade, and yet they have also become essential to the emergence of a certain kind of social order . Drawing on years of fieldwork inside prisons, police precincts, and gang-dominated neighborhoods, Anthony W. Fontes demonstrates how gang violence has become indissoluble from contemporary social imaginaries and how these gangs provide cover for a host of other criminal actors. Ethnographically rich and unflinchingly critical, Mortal Doubt illuminates the maras' role in making and mooring collective terror in Guatemala City while tracing the ties that bind this violence to those residing in far safer environs. The Fact And Fear Of Crime Dominate Guatemala City. In The Midst Of Unprecedented Levels Of Postwar Violence, Guatemalans Struggle To Comprehend The Myriad Forces That Have Made Life In This City So Deeply Insecure. Born Out Of Histories Of State Terror, Migration, And Deportation, Maras (or Transnational Gangs) Have Become The Veritable Face Of This New Era Of Violence. They Are Brutal Organizations Engaged In Extortion, Contract Killings, And The Drug Trade, And Yet They Have Also Become Essential To The Making Of A Certain Kind Of Social Order. Based On Years Of Fieldwork Inside Prisons, Police Precincts, And Gang-dominated Neighborhoods, Anthony W. Fontes Demonstrates How Gang Violence Has Become Indissoluble From Contemporary Social Imaginaries, And How These Gangs Provide Cover For A Host Of Other Criminal Actors. Ethnographically Rich And Unflinchingly Critical, Mortal Doubt Illuminates The Maras' Role In Making And Mooring Collective Terror In Guatemala City And Beyond--provided By Publisher. Bring Out The Dead -- Portrait Of A Real Marero -- Brother's Bones -- Emissaries Of The Violent Peace -- The Road To Prison -- Porous Prisons -- The Prisoners And The Cascabel -- Extorted Life -- Make It A Global -- Made For Media Murder -- Farewell Guatemala City -- Liminal Redemption -- Epilogue. Anthony W. Fontes. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The fear of violent crime dominates Guatemala City. In the midst of unprecedented levels of postwar violence, Guatemalans struggle to fathom the myriad forces that have made life in this city so deeply insecure. Born out of histories of state terror, migration, and US deportation, maras (transnational gangs) have become the face of this new era of violence. They are brutal organizations engaged in extortion, contract killings, and the drug trade, and yet they have also become essential to the emergence of a certain kind of social order.
 
Drawing on years of fieldwork inside prisons, police precincts, and gang-dominated neighborhoods, Anthony W. Fontes demonstrates how gang violence has become indissoluble from contemporary social imaginaries and how these gangs provide cover for a host of other criminal actors. Ethnographically rich and unflinchingly critical, Mortal Doubt illuminates the maras’ role in making and mooring collective terror in Guatemala City while tracing the ties that bind this violence to those residing in far safer environs. Twenty years since the end of Central America's longest and bloodiest civil war, Guatemala City is dominated by both the fact and fear of out-of-control crime. In powerful, haunting prose, 'Mortal Doubt' takes readers inside the making of this new order of violence through the evolution of its most infamous emissary: the maras, or transnational gangs Contents Illustrations Introduction Part One. Truths and Fictions Part Two. Worlds and Underworlds Part Three. Spectacle, Structure, and Agency Epilogue: Of Violent Others and Orders of Violence Acknowledgments Appendix: Notes on Methodology Notes Bibliography Index