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ASSASSINATION IN LAOS - ITS PSYCHOSOCIAL DIMENSIONS

NCJ Number
62248
Journal
Archives of General Psychiatry Volume: 28 Dated: (MAY 1974) Pages: 740-743
Author(s)
J WESTERMEYER
Date Published
1974
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF ASSASSINATION IN LAOS ARE EXAMINED WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT CERTAIN ACTS LABELED 'BAD' SHOULD BE VIEWED WITHIN THEIR SOCIAL CONTEXT.
Abstract
TEN CASES OF ASSASSINATION IN LAOS WERE EXTENSIVELY RESEARCHED USING STANDARD ANTHROPOLOGICAL FIELD TECHNIQUES. INTERVIEWS WERE HELD WITH VILLAGERS, VILLAGE AND DISTRICT HEADMEN, BUDDHIST MONKS, AND PERSONS WHO KNEW EITHER VICTIM OR ASSASSIN BY KINSHIP OR FRIENDSHIP. CASES WERE CLASSIFIED INTO (1) CRIMINAL RECIDIVISM (THOSE IN WHICH HABITUAL OFFENDERS ARE ASSASSINATED BY THE COMMUNITY); (2) DYSSOCIAL BEHAVIOR (CASES WHEREIN BEHAVIOR ABHORRENT TO THE COMMUNITY, EVEN IF NOT HARMFUL, IS PUNISHED BY COMMUNITY-CONDONED ASSASSINATION); (3) OFFICIAL'S ABUSE OF POWER (CASES WHEREIN AN OFFICIAL IS ASSASSINATED BY A TRIBUNAL MEMBER WHO ASSUMES THE CORRUPT OFFICIAL'S POWER WITH COMMUNITY APPROVAL.) THE FUNCTIONAL SIMILARITIES ARE THE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR OF THE VICTIMS IN ALL THREE SITUATIONAL TYPES IN REGARD TO THE COMMUNITY'S NORMS; THE BEHAVIOR WAS DEVIANT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT SERIOUSLY THREATENED COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. ASSASSINATION SERVED AS A PENALTY TO REINFORCE DEFERENCE AND AMIABILITY IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS. IN ADDITION, IT PROVIDED A PROBLEM-SOLVING FUNCTION WHEN OTHER MEANS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SOCIAL PROBLEM RESOLUTION. ASSASSINATION IN LAOS WAS ALSO COMPARED TO POLITICAL HOMICIDE IN THE U.S. IN MANY RESPECTS, THE FORMER RESEMBLED THE CLASSIC VIGILANTISM OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER, WHEREIN EXTRALEGAL EXECUTION WAS OCCASIONALLY REQUIRED FOR COMMUNITY SURVIVAL. UNLIKE LAOTIAN ASSASSINATION, U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ASSASSINATION APPEARS TO HAVE EVOLVED FROM 'NEOVIGILANTISM,' A FORM OF HOMICIDE WITH PERSONAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS, AND POLITICAL OVERTONES. CASE STUDIES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MHP)

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