Accusatory Practices: Denunciation in Modern European History, 1789-1989 (Studies in European History from the Journal of Modern History)

This is an excellent, though small, collection of essays by historians about a fascinating topic: "denunciation." The editors define denunciation here as citizens or subjects providing spontaneous information to the state or another authority with the goal of having the state enact punishment on another person. This is a carefully-tailored definition that serves the editor's purposes well: it narrows the scope to a narrow range of activity that nonetheless varies significantly in terms of purpose and effect across at least the few European societies included.

This is also a nice way of using a specific topic as a prism to explore some general societal differences between tsarist Russia, Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany and communist Germany. show more (There are also essays on the French revolution and the Catholic Church which are unfortunately less interesting as points of comparison.)

The essays and methodologies vary from historian to historian, but all were illuminating. I only wish this topic were explored across more times and places -- Maoist China and McCartyism in the United States are obvious comparison points! show less