Written by leading scholars from the Americas and Europe, this is a thorough assessment of state-supported murder and violence in Latin America.* Examines the trajectory of murder and violence in the region over the past two centuries and elucidates theories and trends regarding violence since the end of colonial rule* Covers topics such as "the disappeared," the rise of drug cartels and narco-violence, physical violence against wives, the judging and sentencing of violent crimes, genocide, and state terrorism* Explains and applies macro-level theories regarding the rise of civilization, state building, and violence to contemporary Latin America* Demonstrates the complexity of an issue at the forefront of life and politics in the region today

AcknowledgementsIntroduction: Murder and Violence in Modern Latin America (Eric A. Johnson, Ricardo D. Salvatore and Pieter Spierenburg)1. War, Violence and Homicide in Modern Mexico (Alan Knight)2. Physical Violence against Wives and the Law in the Spanish American World, 1820s - 2000s (Victor M. Uribe-Urán)3. Judging Violent Crimes: Patterns of Sentencing in Modern Argentina, 1878-1948 (Ricardo D. Salvatore)4. Homicide as Politics in Modern Mexico (Pablo A. Piccato)5. La Violencia in Colombia, Through Stories of the Body (Cristina Rojas and Daniel Tubb)6. Genocide and State Terrorism in Guatemala, 1954-1996: An Interpretation (Carlos Figueroa Ibarra)7. The Narrative of the Disappearances in Argentina: The Nunca Más Report (Emilio Crenzel)8. Punishment and Extermination: The Massacre of Political Prisoners in Lima, Peru, June 1986 (Carlos Aguirre)9. Gang Violence and Insecurity in Contemporary Central America (Orlando J. Pérez)Conclusion: Violence and 'the Civilising Process' in Modern Latin America (Ricardo D. Salvatore)ContributorsReferencesIndex