Is There a Culture or Religion of Torture? International Support for Brutal Treatment of Suspected Terrorists

Jeremy D. Mayer and Naoru Koizumi

Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 2017, vol. 40, issue 9, 758-771

Abstract: Do certain cultures or religions predispose citizens to support the deployment of torture against suspected terrorists? Based on an international survey of 31 different countries, we examine how religion and culture affect respondents' position on torture. We find that at the individual level, the nonreligious are resolutely opposed to torture, and that Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and other faiths are more supportive. Among world cultures, Muslim/African cultures are most opposed to the torture of terrorists, while Confucian, English-speaking, and South Asian cultures are the most supportive of it. We also find that the use of torture has less support in countries that are suffering from terrorism, once religion and culture are considered.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2016.1235352

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