After Violence

In 2004, Russia experienced its most appalling act of terrorism in history, the 53-hour seizure of School No. 1 in Beslan, North Ossetia. Approximately 1,200 children, parents, and teachers were taken hostage, and over 330 were killed, hundreds more seriously wounded, and all severely traumatized. In After Violence, Debra Javeline analyzes the aftermath of this large-scale violence with evidence from almost all direct victims. Despite widespread predictions of retaliatory ethnic violence, the massacre instead triggered unprecedented peaceful political activism. After Violence provides insights into this unexpected but favorable outcome.