ECU Libraries Catalog

Dictators and their secret police : coercive institutions and state violence / Sheena Chestnut Greitens.

Author/creator Greitens, Sheena Chestnut author.
Format Book and Print
Publication Info Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Descriptionxix, 324 pages ; 24 cm.
Subject(s)
Series Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Studies of the East Asian Institute. ^A141600
Contents Part I. The puzzle and the argument -- A theory of coercive institutions and state violence -- Part II. The origins of coercive institutions -- Organizing coercion in Taiwan; -- Organizing coercion in the Philippines -- Organizing coercion in South Korea -- Part III. Coercive institutions and state violence -- Coercive institutions and repression in Taiwan -- Coercive institutions and repression in the Philippines -- Coercive institutions and repression in South Korea -- Part IV. Extensions and conclusions -- Extending the argument: coercion outside East Asia.
Abstract "How do dictators stay in power? When, and how, do they use repression to do so? Dictators and their Secret Police explores the role of the coercive apparatus under authoritarian rule in Asia - how these secret organizations originated, how they operated, and how their violence affected ordinary citizens. Greitens argues that autocrats face a coercive dilemma: whether to create internal security forces designed to manage popular mobilization, or defend against potential coup. Violence against civilians, she suggests, is a byproduct of their attempt to resolve this dilemma. Drawing on a wealth of new historical evidence, this book challenges conventional wisdom on dictatorship: what autocrats are threatened by, how they respond, and how this affects the lives and security of the millions under their rule. It offers an unprecedented view into the use of surveillance, coercion, and violence, and sheds new light on the institutional and social foundations of authoritarian power"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
LCCN 2016008957
ISBN9781107139848 (hardback)
ISBN1107139848 (hardback)
ISBN9781316505311
ISBN1316505316

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks JC495 .G744 2016 ✔ Available Place Hold