Leviathan's Choice: Capital Punishment In The 21st Century

Description:
The death penalty is one of the most contentious issues of our time and has generated an astonishing amount of arguments both for and against capital punishment. Out of this debate, Martinez, Richardson and Hornsby have crafted the broadest and most balanced account to date. 'Leviathan's Choice: Capital Punishment in the 21st Century' explores the death penalty from four distinct perspectives - philosophical, theological, social science and legal - and includes scholarly essays on both sides of the debate. An ideal reader for students and policymakers, 'Leviathan's Choice' is useful for everyone following the arguments surrounding the death penalty.

Table of Contents:
Preface and Acknowledgments; Introduction; Perspectives on the Death Penalty - J. Michael Martinez, William D. Richardson, and D. Brandon Hornsby; Philosophical Perspectives; Low Deeds and High Goods: Philosophical Foundations of the Death Penalty in the American Regime - J. Michael Martinez, William D. Richardson, and Cheryl A. Brown; Bearing Witness and Writing History in the Struggle Against Capital Punishment - Austin Sarat; Why Capital Punishment? - Ernest van den Haag; Woe to the Hand That Shed This Costly Blood': Philosophical Arguments Against the Death Penalty - J. Michael Martinez; Theological Perspectives; Religious Orientation, Race, and Support for the Death Penalty - Robert L. Young; Theological Arguments and the Case Against Capital Punishment - Mark Douglas; Is Capital Punishment Wrong? - Jacob J. Vellenga; Deliverance From the Vicious Cycles of Murder - Glen H. Stassen; Social Science Perspectives; Social Science Data and the Death Penalty: Understanding the Debate Over 'A Broken System' - M. Christine Cagle and J. Michael Martinez; Fatal Flaws: The Implementation of the Death Penalty in the States - Elizabeth T. Smith; Race and the Death Penalty - John C. McAdams; 'The Executioner's Face is Always Well-Hidden': Social Science Arguments Against Capital Punishment - J. Michael Martinez; Legal Perspectives; Massive Resistance: Capital Punishment, the Abolitionist Movement and the Supreme Court - Douglas Clouatre; 'Freakishly Imposed' or 'Fundamentally Fair'?: Legal Arguments Against the Death Penalty - J. Michael Martinez; Legal Arguments in Favor of the Death Penalty - J. Michael Martinez; Flaws in Capital Sentencing: Skewing the Reasoned Moral Response - Chris Hutton; Conclusion-Future Directions of Capital Punishment; The Death Penalty and the International Community: Evolving Norms or Persistent Differences? - Timothy J. Schorn; Reflections on the Future of the Death Penalty - Robert A. Miller.

Author Biography:
D. Brandon Hornsby is an attorney in Atlanta. J. Michael Martinez teaches political science at Kennesaw State University and is a practicing attorney. William D. Richardson is professor of political science, chair of the Department of Political Science, and director of the W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership at the University of South Dakota