Logo image
Black sites, ‘extraordinary renditions’ and the legitimacy of the torture taboo
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Black sites, ‘extraordinary renditions’ and the legitimacy of the torture taboo

J. Barnes
International Politics, Vol.53(2), pp.198-219
2016
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

The revelations the Bush administration employed torture in 'black sites' and outsourced torture through the 'extraordinary rendition' programme demonstrated how the torture prohibition, or torture taboo, failed to constrain the United States (US) and other complicit states from engaging in torture in the fight against terrorism. Yet despite this violation of the taboo, this article makes the paradoxical argument that studying the taboo's violation shows the strength of the norm's legitimacy, not its weakness. The humanitarian pressures from the torture taboo continued to operate on the US even while the norm was being violated, shaping US identity, interests and actions during the 'war on terror'.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Source: InCites

Metrics

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Citation topics
6 Social Sciences
6.27 Political Science
6.27.50 International Relations
Web Of Science research areas
International Relations
Political Science
ESI research areas
Social Sciences, general
Logo image