Comparative Genocide Studies

About the course

The Holocaust, the genocides in Armenia and Rwanda, the terror in the Soviet Union and the "ethnic cleansing" in former Yugoslavia have come to represent the suffering that has affected millions of innocent civilians throughout history. The fact that the worst outbreaks of genocide and other forms of mass killing have occurred outside the context of military conflict between victims and perpetrators means that conventional conflict theories cannot explain this type of extreme behaviour. To better understand the character of genocides and extreme violence, we must therefore apply models that put specific events in relation to their different contexts: historical, cultural, social, political, and ideological.

Upon completion of the course, you will have acquired advanced knowledge of some of the most important cases of genocide and mass killings that have occurred throughout history, with a particular focus on the colonisation processes of the 19th century, the emergence of nationalistic, fascist and communist ideologies during the early 20th century and the two World Wars. The course will also discuss the effects of decolonisation on violence in connection with the postcolonial state- and nation-building processes, and how the democratisation processes that followed the fall of communism could, under certain circumstances, result in conflicts involving elements of mass violence and expulsion.

During the course, you will also discuss key concepts and theoretical arguments, and gain important skills in comparative methodology. Thereby, you will acquire important knowledge of issues essential for understanding the character and effects of violence.