Book Review: Welch, M. (2006). Scapegoats of September 11th: Hate Crimes & State Crimes in the War on Terror. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 222 pp

• Author: D. Lee Gilbertson,Mario L. Hesse
• Published date: 01 September 2008
• Date: 01 September 2008
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0734016808319174
• Subject Matter: Articles

The public outrage against unjust executions, grown shriller here at home in the new century

but still unheeded, might well weaken the government’s credibility with its own citizens. In

the mean time, generous minds will continue to give artistic shape to their sentiments, though

they may have little effect on law itself. (p. 224)

In linking literary, media, and artistic agitation to their influence on capital cases, the

author sheds new light on some rather interesting American capital cases that, in their time,

greatly interested significant sectors of society. With the exception of the Haymarket defendants

and the Till case, little long-lasting effects of literary, artistic, and popular publications on

the legal or judicial system can be observed. That fact in itself makes this book an inter-

esting contribution to death penalty literature.

Jefferson Ingram

University of Dayton, Ohio

Welch, M. (2006). Scapegoats of September 11th: Hate Crimes &

State Crimes in the War on Terror. New Brunswick,

NJ: Rutgers University Press. 222 pp.

DOI: 10.1177/0734016808319174

Scapegoats of September 11th, by Michael Welch, presents a thought-provoking discussion

of important issues related to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11). It introduces

a reader to the inquisitive nature of the critical criminology perspective. A quick scan of the text,

specifically the short quotes at the beginning of each chapter, may lead a reader to surmise

that this is more of a political science text aimed at criticizing the Bush administration.

However, as with another text by this author wherein he outlines a critical look at corrections,

Welch presents sufficient information from both sides of the aisle that the discussion causes

a reader to self-examine, expound, and broaden her or his own opinions. The 10 chapters,

well grounded in theory, critique events within American society and government, which

followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The author’s objective for this book is not to specifically

challenge the U.S. response to those attacks but rather to focus readers’ thoughts on the

reality of the adverse consequences of the war on terror as they relate to scapegoats and

American society.

Chapters 1 through 3 lay the groundwork for understanding the process of scapegoating.

In chapter 1, “Talking About Terror,” Welch introduces key concepts (such as mystical frame-

works, fear, and scapegoating) and their relationships to each other: political wordsmithing

(i.e., “spinning”) and policy. Chapter 2, “Seeking a Safer Society,” underscores the political

manipulation of people’s fear and anxiety by means of generating a moral panic within a risk

society. Integrating aspects of cultural theory and risk society theory, chapter 3, “Scapegoating

and Social Insecurity,” presents a brief historical review of the process of the scapegoating

phenomenon, which begins with disaster or misfortune, followed by moralization and

politicization, and then blaming it all on some unpopular person or persons. This chapter is

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