Politics and History of Violence and Crime in Central America

This book highlights historical explanations to and roots of present phenomena of violence, insecurity, and law enforcement in Central America. Violence and crime are among the most discussed topics in Central America today, and sensationalism and fear of crime is as present as the increase of private security, the re-militarization of law enforcement, political populism, and mano dura policies. The contributors to this volume discuss historical forms, paths, continuities, and changes of violence and its public and political discussion in the region. This book thus offers in-depth analysis of different patterns of violence, their reproduction over time, their articulation in the present, and finally their discursive mobilization. This Book Highlights Historical Explanations To And Roots Of Present Phenomena Of Violence, Insecurity, And Law Enforcement In Central America. --page 4 Of Cover 1. The Enigma Of Violent Realities In Central America: Towards A Historical Perspective -- 2. How To Explain And How Not To Explain Contemporary Criminal Violence In Central America -- 3. Of Pandillas, Pirucas, And Pablo Escobar In The Barrio -- 4. Memories Of Violence In The Salvadoran Civil Wary -- 5. Questioning The Crime Wave -- 6. The Salvadoran Armed Left And Revolutionary Violence (1970-1980) -- 7. On Collective Violence In Nineteenth-century Guatemala -- 9. Borderlands And Public Violence In A Shadow Polity -- 9. Forms Of Violence In Past And Present : El Salvador And Belize In Comparative Perspective -- 10. The Violence Of Dispossession : Guatemala In The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries. [edited By] Sebastian Huhn, Hannes Warnecke-berger. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. 1. The enigma of violent realities in Central America : towards a historical perspective / Sebastian Huhn and Hannes Warnecke-Berger -- 2. How to explain and how not to explain contemporary criminal violence in Central America / Heidrun Zinecker -- 3. Of Pandillas, Pirucas, and Pablo Escobar in the Barrio / Dennis Rodgers -- 4. Memories of violence in the Salvadoran Civil War / Erik Ching -- 5. Questioning the crime wave / Sebastian Huhn -- 6. The Salvadoran armed left and revolutionary violence (1970-1980) / Alberto Martín Álvarez and Eudald Cortina Orero -- 7. On collective violence in nineteenth-century Guatemala / Michael Riekenberg -- 9. Borderlands and public violence in a shadow polity / Robert H. Holden -- 9. Forms of violence in past and present : El Salvador and Belize in comparative perspective / Hannes Warnecke-Berger -- 10. The violence of dispossession : Guatemala in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries / Jim Handy Front Matter....Pages i-xix The Enigma of Violent Realities in Central America: Towards a Historical Perspective....Pages 1-22 How to Explain and How Not to Explain Contemporary Criminal Violence in Central America....Pages 23-63 Of Pandillas, Pirucas, and Pablo Escobar in the Barrio....Pages 65-84 Memories of Violence in the Salvadoran Civil War....Pages 85-111 Questioning the Crime Wave....Pages 113-146 The Salvadoran Armed Left and Revolutionary Violence (1970–1980)....Pages 147-182 On Collective Violence in Nineteenth-Century Guatemala....Pages 183-205 Borderlands and Public Violence in a Shadow Polity....Pages 207-240 Forms of Violence in Past and Present: El Salvador and Belize in Comparative Perspective....Pages 241-279 The Violence of Dispossession: Guatemala in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries....Pages 281-323 Back Matter....Pages 325-330