Books by James Dawes
“This is an extraordinary book that defies classification. He doesn’t have a single pitch or argument to make, but it is a beautiful exploration of evil, not just of what motivates the perpetrators, but also about how we see the perpetrators.” Read more...
The best books on Cruelty and Evil
Paul Bloom, Psychologist
That the World May Know
by James Dawes
This one is a book about human rights workers and the world that they inhabit and it captures all the inner tensions that human rights work involves. We all expect human rights workers to do good but it shows the dark side of the world of human rights through a series of interviews with Red Cross workers, the UN soldiers, refugee intake officials, and young activists
Interviews where books by James Dawes were recommended
The best books on Violence and Torture, recommended by Darius Rejali
The author of Torture and Democracy gives a harrowing interview on the effects of violence, torture and trauma on the human being, ‘torture has a slippery slope and once you authorise it, it rapidly runs out of control’
The best books on Cruelty and Evil, recommended by Paul Bloom
How do evil-doers justify their behaviour? A common view of evil sees dehumanisation as fundamental. Yale psychologist Paul Bloom argues, however, that the picture may not be so simple. The most callous acts of cruelty and evil involve recognising the human feelings of the victim, their ability to feel shame and humiliation.
