Abstract
This work examines acts of monkeywrenching, like the Oct. 19, 1998 arson at Vail, as punitive acts. The purpose of this effort is to see if the application of a broad, sociological definition of punishment to acts of this type can reveal hidden or infrequently discussed aspects of punish ment as a social mechanism, as well as monkeywrenching as a social act. Following a brief introduction, definitions for punishment (emphasizing its understanding as a social mechanism), and extra-legal alternatives to environmental protection (an ad hoc category created to house acts of monkeywrenching) are provided. The paper then looks at acts of mon keywrenching with reference to three concepts that are central to punish ment: 1) the pain of punishment; 2) the rule-bound nature of punishment; 3) the authority to punish. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the problems associated with monkeywrenching's use as a punitive alter native to environmental protection.
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