2018-2019 Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2018-2019 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

HIST132 CM - Genocide & Human Rights in 20th Century Europe

During the twentieth century, the totality and modern features of the mass murder of civilians proved so alarming and unprecedented that by mid-century observers, led by Raphael Lemkin, developed a new concept for this historical phenomenon: genocide. This course will focus on case studies of genocide and genocide prevention in Europe. How do border changes, nation-state formation, and the collapse and rise of empires trigger ethnic cleansing and genocide as occurred in the Ottoman Empire, the Second World War, and more recently in the post-Soviet conflicts in the former Yugoslavia? Lectures and discussions will delve into specific topics, such as the role of racism, anti-Semitism and biopolitics, the psychological responses of victims, the inclusion of rape as a genocidal war crime, the response of bystanders, perpetrator motivation, and trends in post-genocidal societies such as trials, memorialization and compensation.

Offered: Every Two Years

Credit: 1

Course Number: HIST132 CM