What do you think?
Rate this book
Mass Atrocity, Ordinary Evil, and Hannah Arendt: Criminal Consciousness in Argentina's Dirty War
Is it possible that the soldiers of mass atrocities―Adolph Eichmann in Nazi Germany and Alfredo Astiz in Argentina’s Dirty War, for example―act under conditions that prevent them from recognizing their crimes? In the aftermath of catastrophic, state-sponsored mass murder, how are criminal courts to respond to those who either gave or carried out the military orders that seem unequivocally criminal?
This important book addresses Hannah Arendt’s controversial argument that perpetrators of mass crimes are completely unaware of their wrongdoing, and therefore existing criminal laws do not adequately address these defendants. Mark Osiel applies Arendt’s ideas about the kind of people who implement bureaucratized large-scale atrocities to Argentina’s Dirty War of the 1970s, and he also delves into the social conditions that could elicit such reprehensible conduct. He focuses on Argentine navy captain Astiz, who led one of the most notorious abduction squads, to discover how he and other junior officers could justify the murders of more than ten thousand suspected “subversives.”
Osiel concludes that legal stipulations labeling certain deeds as manifestly illegal are indefensible. He calls for a significant change in the laws of war to preserve both justice and the possibility of dialogue between factions in such sharply divided societies as Argentina. Osiel’s proposals have profound implications for future prosecutions of Pinochet’s lieutenants, Milosevic’s henchmen, the willing executioners of Rwanda and East Timor, and other perpetrators of state-endorsed murder and torture.
This important book addresses Hannah Arendt’s controversial argument that perpetrators of mass crimes are completely unaware of their wrongdoing, and therefore existing criminal laws do not adequately address these defendants. Mark Osiel applies Arendt’s ideas about the kind of people who implement bureaucratized large-scale atrocities to Argentina’s Dirty War of the 1970s, and he also delves into the social conditions that could elicit such reprehensible conduct. He focuses on Argentine navy captain Astiz, who led one of the most notorious abduction squads, to discover how he and other junior officers could justify the murders of more than ten thousand suspected “subversives.”
Osiel concludes that legal stipulations labeling certain deeds as manifestly illegal are indefensible. He calls for a significant change in the laws of war to preserve both justice and the possibility of dialogue between factions in such sharply divided societies as Argentina. Osiel’s proposals have profound implications for future prosecutions of Pinochet’s lieutenants, Milosevic’s henchmen, the willing executioners of Rwanda and East Timor, and other perpetrators of state-endorsed murder and torture.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2001
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 24, 2026
This is one of the most intellectually challenging books I've read in years. I joined the discussion through The Book Buffet, and I'm grateful I did because I don't think I would have appreciated the depth of this work if I had read it alone.
Mark Osiel doesn't offer simple answers. Instead, he explores the uncomfortable gray areas surrounding criminal responsibility during periods of state-sponsored violence. His analysis of Hannah Arendt's work and the Argentine military dictatorship is thoughtful, balanced, and surprisingly accessible considering the complexity of the subject.
What impressed me most was how respectfully the author handles both legal theory and historical reality. Every chapter made me stop and reconsider ideas I thought I already understood. Rather than presenting history as something distant, Osiel reminds us that these questions remain painfully relevant today.
The conversations we had in The Book Buffet were some of the best I've experienced in a book club. Everyone interpreted different parts differently, yet every perspective added something valuable. That's exactly what great nonfiction should accomplish.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books that educate while also challenging deeply held assumptions.
Mark Osiel doesn't offer simple answers. Instead, he explores the uncomfortable gray areas surrounding criminal responsibility during periods of state-sponsored violence. His analysis of Hannah Arendt's work and the Argentine military dictatorship is thoughtful, balanced, and surprisingly accessible considering the complexity of the subject.
What impressed me most was how respectfully the author handles both legal theory and historical reality. Every chapter made me stop and reconsider ideas I thought I already understood. Rather than presenting history as something distant, Osiel reminds us that these questions remain painfully relevant today.
The conversations we had in The Book Buffet were some of the best I've experienced in a book club. Everyone interpreted different parts differently, yet every perspective added something valuable. That's exactly what great nonfiction should accomplish.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books that educate while also challenging deeply held assumptions.
July 24, 2026
Some books give you information. Others completely reshape the way you think. This book belongs in the second category.
I first encountered it through The Book Buffet, and although I expected an academic work, I found something much more engaging. Mark Osiel explores incredibly difficult questions about morality, justice, military obedience, and legal accountability without reducing them to simplistic conclusions.
The examination of Argentina's Dirty War is both heartbreaking and illuminating. What stood out to me most was the author's willingness to wrestle with uncertainty rather than pretending every moral dilemma has an easy answer.
The writing is scholarly but never feels unnecessarily complicated. Every argument is carefully supported, and by the end I found myself questioning assumptions I didn't even realize I held.
This isn't casual reading, but if you're willing to invest the time, you'll come away with a richer understanding of history, law, and human behavior. I'm grateful The Book Buffet introduced me to a book I probably would never have discovered on my own.
I first encountered it through The Book Buffet, and although I expected an academic work, I found something much more engaging. Mark Osiel explores incredibly difficult questions about morality, justice, military obedience, and legal accountability without reducing them to simplistic conclusions.
The examination of Argentina's Dirty War is both heartbreaking and illuminating. What stood out to me most was the author's willingness to wrestle with uncertainty rather than pretending every moral dilemma has an easy answer.
The writing is scholarly but never feels unnecessarily complicated. Every argument is carefully supported, and by the end I found myself questioning assumptions I didn't even realize I held.
This isn't casual reading, but if you're willing to invest the time, you'll come away with a richer understanding of history, law, and human behavior. I'm grateful The Book Buffet introduced me to a book I probably would never have discovered on my own.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews