The Mason Spirit

Torture as Public Policy: Restoring U.S. Credibility on the World Stage

James P. Pfiffner, University Professor, School of Public Policy

Torture as Public Policy: Restoring U.S. Credibility on the World Stage Stage (Paradigm Publishers, October 2009) is a model of detailed policy analysis that demonstrates how greatly public policy matters beyond the back corridors of bureaucracy. In the book, Pfiffner examines how the Bush administration reversed centuries of U.S. policy on the treatment of enemy prisoners and analyzes the philosophical and legal underpinnings of the policies and practices that led to the denunciation of U.S. policies by its allies and adversaries. Looking ahead, Pfiffner anticipates Obama administration policy changes to restore U.S. credibility and accountability.