Research on Suicide Terrorism, Criminal Behavior, and More

Reviews

“Lankford has assisted personnel at the U.S. State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance program and will receive high marks for being spot-on for his description of the killing of Osama bin Laden...Lankford’s research on violent systematic indoctrination is worthy scholarship, accurate in its appraisal of current trouble spots, indispensable reading for social scientists, government, and political leaders, and should be required reading for members of the military, especially those assigned to counterterrorist duties.” —International Criminal Justice Review

“a splendid interdisciplinary effort sure to interest casual readers, sociologists, political scientists, criminal justice scholars, and Homeland Security experts alike.” —Homeland Security Review

“a valuable study of the factors that can lead 'normal' people to commit abnormal atrocities.” —Journal of Genocide Research

“Lankford’s conclusions and observations are thought-provoking...As the international community wrestles with how it should punish those involved in genocides and war crimes occurring in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and East Timor, it first needs to understand how the atrocities, and those who committed them, were created. Lankford’s book provides insight into the elements needed to create efficient killing regimes and terrorist organizations.” —War Crimes, Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity

“Adam Lankford's well-written and provocative new book, Human Killing Machines: Systematic Indoctrination in Iran, Nazi Germany, Al Qaeda, and Abu Ghraib, delivers a behavioral model that goes a long way toward explaining otherwise inexplicably inhuman actions by "normal" human beings. The reader need not agree with every one of Lankford's observations to recognize his insightfulness and the utility of his work for both scholars and practitioners. Human Killing Machines is "must reading" for soldiers, diplomats, and political leaders of democratic countries as well as academics in the social sciences, international relations, and criminal justice.” —John T. Fishel, Professor Emeritus of National Security Policy, National Defense University

“This book is a must read. It should be required reading for all police officers. Hopefully, by understanding the process of systematic indoctrination, as so aptly described by Adam Lankford, those entrusted with the power of the state will mightily resist any pull towards acts of unredeemable violence.” —Drew Diamond, Chief of Police (Ret.), Tulsa, OK

“a work of diligent scholarship marked by skillful exposition and compelling prose. This book deals with issues that matter to our way of life and sheds light on how we might better understand and ameliorate the potential for violence, including catastrophic violence, that dogs the modern world.” —Robert Johnson, Professor of Justice, Law, and Society, American University