Abstract

Lone terrorists’ trials very often include long discussions on the mental health of suspects. This article offers a critical analysis of the mental health categories that are used in lone terrorists’ trials. By examining how the judicial concept of “insanity” collided with the psychiatric classification of mental illnesses in Breivik’s and Kaczynski’s trials, I suggest that lone terrorists’ trials can be understood as ritualistic devices whose latent function for society is to reaffirm its progressive values. This is done through the consolidation of a cognitive prototype of the category of the “insane reactionary terrorist.”

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.