Torture. According to Henry Shue, professor of politics and international relations at the University of Oxford in England, No other practice except slavery is so universally condemned in law and human convention. Yet, unlike slaverytorture is widespread and growing. Why is torture so common? Is it an unavoidable component of human psychology? Exposing Torture tackles these complex questions, delving into the history of torture around the world, from the flayings, burnings, and other methods of torture in ancient societies to the humiliating forms of psychological and sexual torture of the twenty-first century. But is torture an effective means of controlling human behavior? Can it help root out information about terrorism and prevent loss of human life? Over the centuries, many people have supported the point of view that it can, while others vehemently disagree.
