Political Violence and the Authoritarian State in Peru - by J Burt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Shining Path was one of the most brutal insurgencies ever seen in the Western Hemisphere. Political Violence and the Authoritarian State in Peru explores the devastating effects of insurgent violence and the state's brutal counterinsurgency methods on Peruvian civil society.

Review Quotes

"Burt's book brings the clarity of well reported facts, so often lost in the thick fog of insurgencies, together with a lucid analysis of events and outcomes. Hers is an outstanding examination of the lethal yet intricate confrontation between the Shining Path and the Peruvian state that had democracy and civil society as its main casualties and ended up in a decade-long barely disguised dictatorship. She narrates and explains an often tragic, uniquely Peruvian story, yet succeeds in expressing its universal resonance." - Gustavo Gorriti, award-winning journalist and author of The Shining Path: A History of the Millenarian War in Peru

"This book is a dazzling achievement. Jo-Marie Burt offers a riveting, up-close analysis of political violence, the state, and civil society in Peru. This rigorous, nuanced work revises much of the conventional wisdom about both Peru's Shining Path insurgency and the Alberto Fujimori government. With important insights about how insurgencies can exploit weak states and how authoritarian leaders can exploit the legacies of political violence, this book is invaluable for persons seeking to understand the challenges of democracy building in today's world." - Cynthia McClintock, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University

About the Author

JO-MARIE BURT is Associate Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, USA. She was a Fulbright Scholar and visiting researcher at the Catholic University of Peru in 2006, and she served as a research consultant for the Peruvian Truth and Justice Commission in 2002-2003. She is co-editor, with Philip Mauceri, of Politics in the Andes: Identity, Conflict, Reform (2004).