Civilizing Torture: An American Tradition

Belknap delivers a searing examination of America's uncomfortable relationship with torture—from colonial times through to Guantánamo Bay. This isn't polemic; it's meticulously researched history that traces how a nation built on Enlightenment ideals has repeatedly justified the unjustifiable. Unflinching and deeply unsettling, it challenges the myth of American exceptionalism with forensic precision. Perfect for readers who appreciate rigorous political history that doesn't shy away from difficult truths, and anyone questioning how democracies rationalise their darkest impulses.