Book 'Mosaic' Examines Perpetrators' Psychology in Mass Atrocities

Sociologist Han Sung-hoon's new book, "Mosaic," delves into the rarely explored territory of perpetrators of mass atrocities, seeking to understand their inner worlds. The work, drawing on Han's experience as an investigator for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, aims to bridge the gap between structural and psychological analyses by focusing on the "emotions" of those who committed horrific acts.

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When I confirmed the kill, the pistol shot to the head splashed blood all over my clothes, and I couldn't erase that moment from my memory for the rest of my life.

The book meticulously details the actions of perpetrators, their emotional and physical responses, and the moral judgments that followed. It covers a wide range of historical events, including the Korean War's civilian massacres, the Jeju 4.3 Uprising, and the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion, alongside atrocities committed by Nazi Germany, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, secret police in South Africa, the Indonesian military regime, and Japanese war criminals. Han's research dissects the psychology of these individuals, revealing complex emotions like humiliation, shame, guilt, and disgust.

Han particularly focuses on disgust, which he describes as arising from physical contact with unpleasant sensations. The book recounts the experience of a former Marine Corps sergeant who, after participating in summary executions during the Korean War, could not erase the memory of blood splattering on his uniform. Similarly, a commander of a South African apartheid-era death squad described experiencing a metallic taste in his mouth and the smell of blood after an assassination, feeling as though the victim's remains had permeated his body despite repeated washing.

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I tasted metal in my mouth and smelled blood all over my body... I washed and washed, but I couldn't get rid of the 'smell of death.'

The book also explores the phenomenon of "psychological segmentation," where individuals create mental compartments to separate their roles as perpetrators from other aspects of their lives, such as being a loving family member. This concept offers insight into how many perpetrators managed to live ordinary lives after the war. "Mosaic" argues that disgust plays a role in moral judgment, serving as a visceral rejection of certain actions, and contributes to understanding human nature without condoning the perpetrators' behavior.

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The nausea Anwar Congo showed while reenacting his crimes... is a bodily reaction refusing to be contaminated by death and a feeling of disgust trying to avoid death.