A record of state crime and resistance

Communities resist even while enduring the most horrific of state crimes, says Victoria University criminologist Elizabeth Stanley, and a new book documenting their bold actions will ensure history is taught, and recorded, as it happened.

The book examines state committed or sanctioned actions including genocide, rape during war, the treatment of refugees and the use of counter-terrorism powers.

Dr Stanley, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Social and Cultural Studies, co-edited State Crime and Resistance with Jude McCulloch, Professor of Criminology at Monash University in Australia. The book includes contributions from scholars in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the US and the UK.

Dr Stanley says in the past criminologists have focused on mapping and detailing state crimes, whereas this book considers how such crimes can be resisted, prevented or stopped.

“Even in the bleakest of circumstances, where harm and violence is perpetrated by the state examples of resistance can be found.”

One chapter details how Jews resisted their oppressors during the Holocaust by sending messages and smuggling photographs from concentration camps to the wider world.

Another focuses on post 9/11 counter terrorism practices in the UK, where a disproportionate number of Muslims have been stopped, searched and arrested by police.

“That has really eroded trust between Muslim communities and the authorities,” says Dr Stanley, “to the point where many people are reticent to engage with the police and are upset at the stigmatisation of their communities.”

There is also a chapter which examines Australian refugee detention centres and the mistreatment of asylum seekers.

Dr Stanley says the book presents a mixed picture for the future.

“It does offer a hopeful vision of how actions can lead to change, but it also shows how states pre-empt resistance through denial, justification and denigration of their opponents.”

State Crime and Resistance was published by Routledge, UK.

ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage