Description:
Crimes Within Borders: How Nations Break International Law Against Their Own Citizens
What happens when the institutions built to protect human rights become their greatest threat?
In Crimes Within Borders, political scientist and historian Nancy S. Lind exposes how democratic governments justify and conceal acts that meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity. Through meticulously documented examples-from post-war Europe to twenty-first-century America-Lind traces the evolution of international law, the failures of enforcement, and the moral erosion that follows when legality replaces justice.
Accessible yet rigorously researched, this book challenges readers to question comfortable narratives about "good" nations and "bad" regimes. It shows that the real battle for human rights is not fought abroad-it begins at home.
Inside you'll discover:
Why crimes against humanity can occur under the banner of democracy
How international law evolved from Nuremberg to The Hague
Case studies revealing hidden complicity in state violence
A roadmap for accountability grounded in truth and transparency