Theo Deutinger

Handbook of Tyranny

Handbook of Tyranny portrays the routine cruelties of the twenty-first century through a series of detailed non-fictional graphic illustrations. None of these cruelties represent extraordinary violence—they reflect day-to-day implementation of laws and regulations around the globe.

Every page of the book questions our current world of walls and fences, police tactics and prison cells, crowd control and refugee camps. The dry and factual style of storytelling through technical drawings is the graphic equivalent to bureaucratic rigidity born of laws and regulations. The level of detail depicted in the illustrations of the book mirror the repressive efforts taken by authorities around the globe.

The twenty-first century shows a general striving for an ever more regulated and protective society. Yet the scale of authoritarian intervention and their stealth design adds to the growing difficulty of linking cause and effect. Handbook of Tyranny gives a profound insight into the relationship between political power, territoriality and systematic cruelties.

This new edition includes updated figures and eight additional pages.

Handbook of Tyranny portrays the routine cruelties of the twenty-first century through a series of detailed non-fictional graphic illustrations. None of these cruelties represent extraordinary violence—they reflect day-to-day implementation of laws and regulations around the globe.

Every page of the book questions our current world of walls and fences, police tactics and prison cells, crowd control and refugee camps. The dry and factual style of storytelling through technical drawings is the graphic equivalent to bureaucratic rigidity born of laws and regulations. The level of detail depicted in the illustrations of the book mirror the repressive efforts taken by authorities around the globe.

The twenty-first century shows a general striving for an ever more regulated and protective society. Yet the scale of authoritarian intervention and their stealth design adds to the growing difficulty of linking cause and effect. Handbook of Tyranny gives a profound insight into the relationship between political power, territoriality and systematic cruelties.

This new edition includes updated figures and eight additional pages.


The breadth of information here is never less than fascinating.”
Wallpaper

“All the World’s Terribleness, Visualized.” 
Eye on Design

“Flipping through the pages, it is amazing how creative designers can be when they are trying to harm, contain, or keep out people. And Deutinger’s graphic sensibility in presenting all of this is superb.”
Architect Magazine

«Nicht Weltverbesserer, sondern Welterklärer: Der Architekt Theo Deutinger zeichnet Atlanten globaler Verhältnisse und manche Zusammenhänge völlig neu.»
Die Presse


Winner of Die schönsten deutschen Bücher 2018 Award

Author(s): Theo Deutinger

With an essay by Brendan McGetrick

Design: Theo Deutinger

21 × 29,7 cm, 8 ¼ × 11 ¾ in

172 pages, 987 illustrations

hardback

2023, 978-3-03778-719-9, English
CHF 35.00

Theo Deutinger

Theo Deutinger (*1971) is an architect, writer and curator. He is the founder and head of The Department (TD), a practice that combines architecture with research, visualization and artistic thinking. With TD he works at all scales from global planning, spatial master plans, architecture to graphic and curatorial work. Deutinger is known for his theoretical writings on the transformation of European urban culture, and his socio-cultural studies such as the “Handbook of Tyranny.” His work has been shown at the Design Biennale Kwangju (2011), the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale (2014) and the Storefront for Architecture in New York (2019), among others. Theo Deutinger lives and works in Austria.