The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs

• NINT 5328 - Genocide in the Modern Era (Spring 2010)

Genocide is the most heinous form of violence perpetrated by human beings. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, the world community vowed to ‘never again' allow such atrocities to recur. Yet, genocide has remained part of the human experience and its dark shadow has followed us into the new millennium. Its persistence has raised the question, is genocide preventable? Is it an inescapable aspect of human nature or the weapon of the vicious? Can we detect early signs of genocide and prevent it from occurring? Or is punishment after the act of genocide the only viable instrument of international policy? This course will explore these and other questions by examining the phenomenon of genocide in an historic and legal context. Specifically, we will examine the concept of genocide through international human rights law and debates over its interpretation. We will explore these conceptual and legal issues by looking at actual cases, such as Armenia, Ukraine, Cambodia, and the ongoing genocide in Darfur, among others. Finally, the course will focus on how to draft an effective policy for genocide prevention and punishment for those responsible that can be agreed upon by the international community. We will examine the policy suggestions that have accompanied debates on genocide and ask what steps can and should be taken to prevent it from recurring and which actors and levels of governance are most capable of ensuring that it is ‘never again' repeated.

Concentrations:Conflict and Security, Governance and Rights