Creighton recently hosted the Development and Application of Modern Torture lecture series in the Hixson-Lied Auditorium in the Harper Center.
The lecture focused on the history of torture, the various definitions of torture and the application of torture in the modern world. This is part of the “Fr. Henry W. Casper S.J. Professorship in History” lecture series, with Darius Rejali, professer of politics at Reed College in Portland Ore. conducting the lecture.
The lecture looked to define torture and how torture is viewed in the modern context. To do this, the lecture focused first on the history of torture. Torture has been practiced from Ancient Greece to modern democracies, according to Rejali, the modern democracies of today (such as the United States) have been the great innovators of torture.
What comes to mind in the history of torture are things like the Spanish Inquisition, the Nazi Regime, and more recently, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, he said. Rejali looked to understand the connection between democracies and the rise in the public opinion of torture.
“People’s stance is often dictated by where they think other people stand,” Rejali said.
Rejali noted the reverse public opinion of torture during the Bush and Obama terms. During the Bush era, public opinion of torture was negative and many people were against it, particularly with the media attention surrounding Guantanamo Bay and Abu Graib. Opinion changed however during the Obama administration, where public opinion of torture is much more positive.
Rejali said that most democratic nations claim to only institute torture practices in times of national emergencies, yet in reality only one-third of instances of modern torture occurred during a time of a national emergency.
Although there are initiatives like the Geneva Conventions, which work to protect the rights of prisoners of war from being de-humanized, Rejali said that the problem with this is that the Conventions were designed for specific, uniform wars and not for modern wars, and therefore have no way to intervene.
Rejali asked the question of whether or not torture was a successful method. He said the biggest problem with using torture is that the modern world does not have the tools to implement torture correctly.
“In the most common forms of torture today, we do not have legal tools to regulate them,” Rejali said.
Student reaction to the lecture series was quite positive. Arts & Sciences senior Alison Prater, found the topic, as well as the lecturer, very informative.
“I really enjoyed the tactful and innovative way that Rejali spoke of torture as more of a ‘craft’ rather than a human rights violation,” Prater said. “It was also a refreshing outlook and helps us actually understand torture, rather than simply say it is wrong.”
Dr Michael Hawkins, professor in the history department, felt the lecture was interesting in Rejali’s method of not only describing torture, but pointing out its drawbacks, such as its application in gathering intelligence.
“He was able to establish his case both historically and currently,” Hawkins said. “In all, it was exceptional and everything I’ve come to expect from the Casper lecture series.”
Rejali’s lecture displayed academia on the topic, as well as look at torture in a different light.