Genocide: A Psychosocial Perspective

Texts:

Kressel, N. (1996). Mass hate. New York: Plenum.

Staub, E. (1989). The roots of evil: The origins of genocide and other group violence. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Totten, S., Parsons, W. S., & Charny, I. W. (Eds.). (1997). Century of genocide: Eyewitness accounts and critical views. New York: Garland.

Selected readings to be provided or placed on reserve in the library - each noted below.

Course Description:
We live in a time of unparalleled instances of democide, genocide and ethnocide. In fact, governmental policies have resulted in over 170 million deaths during this century (1900-1987) and this figure excludes war deaths (Rummel, 1995). As Rummel states, "It surpasses the 1987 population of all but six nations in the world". These statistics of course do not include the more recent deaths due to genocide/democide and underestimates the additional toll on human life from physical and psychological scarring.
While most individuals are aware of the Holocaust (although they often do not realize the extent of the brutality and actual cost in terms of human life), many are not aware of other past genocides/democides or of current genocides/democides. For example, many individuals remain unaware of the Armenian genocide in Turkey, the killing fields of Cambodia, the disappearances in Argentina & Chile, the death squad killings in El Salvador, or Stalin's purges. Many are unaware of recent events that have resulted in genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda/Burundi or the extreme violations of human rights and genocidal policies by the governments of China (including Tibet), Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Indonesia (including the genocide of the East Timorese).
The Holocaust, the genocides in Turkey, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda . . . the disappearances in Argentina, the death squad killings in El Salvador, . . . violence, torture, the mistreatment of human beings . . . . All of these raise questions about evil. This course will examine the psychological, cultural, and societal roots of human cruelty, mass violence, and genocide. We will examine the questions of what enables individuals collectively and individually to perpetrate evil/genocide and examine the impact of apathetic bystanders on human violence.

Course Objectives and Outcomes:

Objective: To examine the nature of evil and its differential impact on victims vs. perpetrators.

Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate the issues surrounding a definition for the term "evil" and discuss the differences in perceptions of evil for victims and perpetrators.

Objective: To examine the differences between the terms genocide, democide, ethnocide, and other forms of mass violence.

Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate definitions for the terms genocide, democide, ethnocide, and mass violence, and discuss the difficulties surrounding each definition.

Objective: To become more knowledgeable concerning the interaction of psychological, sociological, cultural, and/or political roots of evil, human cruelty, mass violence, and genocide.

Outcomes: Students will be able to discuss the interaction of factors that play potential causative roles in the perpetration of evil and human cruelty on an individual and collective basis (e.g. torture and genocide, respectively).

Objectives: To become familiar with a psychosocial theory of evil and the application of this theory to the perpetration of genocide and mass violence in Nazi Germany, Turkey, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda.

Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate the theory and demonstrate/discuss how the theory can apply to the occurrences of mass violence/genocide in Germany, Turkey, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda. Student's will also be able to critique the theory and articulate ways that the theory falls short is discussing the previously cited instances of mass violence/genocide.

Objective: To examine the nature of bystander behavior and the impact of bystander behavior on the perpetration of genocide.

Outcomes: Students will be able to discuss the psychological and sociological research concerning bystander behavior and relate this research to the role of bystander behavior during the Holocaust, the genocides in Turkey, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda.

Objectives: To examine the question of what can be done to prevent human cruelty, mass violence, and genocide.

Outcomes: Students will be able to articulate several theories examining either prevention of human cruelty, mass violence, and genocide or intervention during instances of mass violence and genocide.

Objective: For students to be able to take all of the above information and apply it to a current or historical instance of individual and collective instance of human cruelty, mass violence, or genocide.

Outcomes: Students will be able to write a term paper analyzing a case of collective mass violence (genocide/democide etc.) not discussed in class or the text.

Class Meetings:
The class will meet [list applicable days and times]. Classroom attendance and class discussion will greatly enhance your understanding of the material presented in this class. Also, material will be presented that is not in any of the books and class participation/discussion will constitute a percentage of your final grade.
This course will be challenging for several reasons. First, it entails a fair amount of reading. If this is to be a good class, it is essential for everyone to do the reading, come to class, and be prepared to participate in the discussion. Second, this course is difficult because of its almost unrelieved concentration on human suffering and extreme, deliberately inflicted cruelty. The information presented in this class is difficult to read and difficult to discuss. There will be opportunities for class members to discuss thoughts and feelings that arise during the course.
Course Requirements:
Three exams, group presentation, a term paper analyzing an instance of mass violence/genocide, and class participation/discussion.

Percent of Grade:

Examinations 70%

Term/Analysis Paper 20%

Class Participation/Discussion 10%

Examinations: The exams are designed to test for an understanding of the terms, theories, ideas, and historical events related to evil, human cruelty, mass violence, and genocide as presented in text, readings, lecture, and discussion. The exams will include multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay questions. Exams One and Two will be worth 20% of your final grade. The final exam will include a comprehensive essay question and will be worth 30% of your final grade.
Term/Analysis Paper: The purpose of the term/analysis paper is to provide you, the student, with the opportunity to explore the collective perpetration of mass violence, genocide, or democide from a psychosocial perspective in depth. Specific instructions will be discussed in class. Students will be given a choice of recent/current instances of genocide/mass violence that are open for analysis/exploration. Any analysis that is not one of the assigned options must be approved in writing by the instructor. The analysis paper is worth 20% of your final grade.
Class Participation & Discussion: Please realize that your participation in this class is extremely important. As such, class participation will constitute 10 percent of your final grade. The class participation grade will derive from regular attendance and everyday discussion and analysis. Please be aware that skipping class (unexcused absences) will impact your grade in this area.

Course Outline

Week Topic and Readings

Week 1 Introduction to the Class
What is Genocide?
Perpetrator vs. Victims
The Hereros
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapter 1

The new concept of democide in Death by Government by R. Rummel

A Century of Genocide, Forward and Genocide of the Hereros, Chapter 1

Week 2 Genocide and Mass Killing: Core Concepts
Towards A Psycho-Social Model of Genocide
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapters 2

The origins and prevention of genocide, mass killing, and other collective violence, by E. Staub (1999) in Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. 5, 303-372.

Week 3 Psychological Factors
Psychology of Hard times
Cultural and Individual Characteristics
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapters 3 - 4

Mass Hate, Chapter 6

A study of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison, by C. Haney, C. Banks, & P. Zimbardo in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson.
Zimbardo's Prison Study Slide Show

Behavioral study of obedience, by S. Milgram in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson

Opinions and social pressure, by S. Asch in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson

Moral exclusion and injustice: An introduction, by S. Opotow in Journal of Social Issues, 46, 1-20.

On pseudospeciation and social speciation, by K. Erikson in Genocide, War, and Human Survival, edited by C. Strozier & M. Flynn

Social circumstances and factors that incite the upsurge of nationalism, in The Mass Psychology of Ethnonationalism, by D. Kecmanovic

Week 4 Psychology of Perpetrators
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapter 5

Mass Hate, Chapter 7

Weeks 5 - 7 Continuum of Destruction: Perpetrators and Bystanders
The Nazi Holocaust
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapters 6 - 11

Century of Genocide, Holocaust: The Jews, Chapter 5

Century of Genocide, Holocaust: The Gypsies, Chapter 6

Century of Genocide, Holocaust: Disabled Peoples, Chapter 7
Exam I (Week 5)

Week 8 - 9 The Genocide in Cambodia
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapter 13

Century of Genocide, The Cambodian Genocide, Chapter 12

Week 10 The Turkish Genocide of the Armenians
Readings:

The Roots of Evil, Chapters 12

Provocation or nationalism: A critical inquiry into the Armenian genocide of 1915, by R. Melson in The Armenian Genocide in Perspective, edited by R. Hovannisian

Century of Genocide, Armenian genocide, Chapter 2

Week 11 The Genocide in Bosnia
Readings:

Mass Hate, Chapter 2

Intrastate conflict and sustainable development, by W. Q. Morales in The Coming Age of Scarcity, edited by M. N. Dobkowskin and I. Wallimann

Century of Genocide, Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina?, Afterword

Exam II

Week 12 - 13 The Genocides in Burundi & Rwanda
Readings:

Mass Hate, Chapter 4

Smith, D. N. (1998). The psychocultural roots of genocide: Legitimacy and crisis in Rwanda. American Psychologist, 53, 743-753.

Postcolonial genocide, by D. N. Smith in The Coming Age of Scarcity, edited by M. N. Dobkowskin and I. Wallimann

The Triumph of Evil Web Site

Century of Genocide, The Burundi Genocide, Chapter 11

Century of Genocide, The Rwanda Genocide, Chapter 14

Week 14 Physical and Cultural Genocide of Various Indigenous Peoples
Readings:

Century of Genocide, Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 13

Week 15 Towards peaceful coexistence
Readings:

The Roots of Evil - Chapters 15, 17 - 18
In search of genocide: A comparison of Rwanda and South Africa, by duPreez, P. (1997) in Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 3, 245- 259.

Week 16 Final course wrap-up/discussion and Final Exam

To Linda M. Woolf's Holocaust and Genocide Studies Pages - Includes current course information, links, recommended readings, Holocaust chronology, text of recent papers and presentations.

Woolf Home Page

Examinations	70%
Term/Analysis Paper	20%
Class Participation/Discussion	10%

Week	Topic and Readings
Week 1	Introduction to the Class What is Genocide? Perpetrator vs. Victims The Hereros Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapter 1 The new concept of democide in Death by Government by R. Rummel A Century of Genocide, Forward and Genocide of the Hereros, Chapter 1
Week 2	Genocide and Mass Killing: Core Concepts Towards A Psycho-Social Model of Genocide Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapters 2 The origins and prevention of genocide, mass killing, and other collective violence, by E. Staub (1999) in Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. 5, 303-372.
Week 3	Psychological Factors Psychology of Hard times Cultural and Individual Characteristics Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapters 3 - 4 Mass Hate, Chapter 6 A study of prisoners and guards in a simulated prison, by C. Haney, C. Banks, & P. Zimbardo in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson. Zimbardo's Prison Study Slide Show Behavioral study of obedience, by S. Milgram in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson Opinions and social pressure, by S. Asch in The Social Animal, edited by E. Aronson Moral exclusion and injustice: An introduction, by S. Opotow in Journal of Social Issues, 46, 1-20. On pseudospeciation and social speciation, by K. Erikson in Genocide, War, and Human Survival, edited by C. Strozier & M. Flynn Social circumstances and factors that incite the upsurge of nationalism, in The Mass Psychology of Ethnonationalism, by D. Kecmanovic
Week 4	Psychology of Perpetrators Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapter 5 Mass Hate, Chapter 7
Weeks 5 - 7	Continuum of Destruction: Perpetrators and Bystanders The Nazi Holocaust Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapters 6 - 11 Century of Genocide, Holocaust: The Jews, Chapter 5 Century of Genocide, Holocaust: The Gypsies, Chapter 6 Century of Genocide, Holocaust: Disabled Peoples, Chapter 7 Exam I (Week 5)
Week 8 - 9	The Genocide in Cambodia Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapter 13 Century of Genocide, The Cambodian Genocide, Chapter 12
Week 10	The Turkish Genocide of the Armenians Readings: The Roots of Evil, Chapters 12 Provocation or nationalism: A critical inquiry into the Armenian genocide of 1915, by R. Melson in The Armenian Genocide in Perspective, edited by R. Hovannisian Century of Genocide, Armenian genocide, Chapter 2
Week 11	The Genocide in Bosnia Readings: Mass Hate, Chapter 2 Intrastate conflict and sustainable development, by W. Q. Morales in The Coming Age of Scarcity, edited by M. N. Dobkowskin and I. Wallimann Century of Genocide, Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina?, Afterword Exam II
Week 12 - 13	The Genocides in Burundi & Rwanda Readings: Mass Hate, Chapter 4 Smith, D. N. (1998). The psychocultural roots of genocide: Legitimacy and crisis in Rwanda. American Psychologist, 53, 743-753. Postcolonial genocide, by D. N. Smith in The Coming Age of Scarcity, edited by M. N. Dobkowskin and I. Wallimann The Triumph of Evil Web Site Century of Genocide, The Burundi Genocide, Chapter 11 Century of Genocide, The Rwanda Genocide, Chapter 14
Week 14	Physical and Cultural Genocide of Various Indigenous Peoples Readings: Century of Genocide, Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 13
Week 15	Towards peaceful coexistence Readings: The Roots of Evil - Chapters 15, 17 - 18 In search of genocide: A comparison of Rwanda and South Africa, by duPreez, P. (1997) in Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 3, 245- 259.
Week 16	Final course wrap-up/discussion and Final Exam