Unpacking media discourses of victimization in political conflicts, Bouris (political science, Rollins College) finds that the image of the simple victim is often presented notwithstanding the complexity of the conflict. This is problematic, she argues, because it means that we may be less likely to recognize complicated images of political victims as victims, which in turn can delay or undermine interventions for ending their victimization. Furthermore, simple images and discourses of the victim can also serve to destabilize post-conflict peace. She supports these assertions by examining discourses of political victimization of Bosnian Muslims during the Balkan conflict and of South Africans during apartheid and describing how these discourses informed actions of victim recognition, response, and peace. She also attempts to develop a theory and discourse of the complex victim Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)