Transcript 1. classification

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“More than 50 million people were
systematically murdered in the past 100
years- the century of mass murder.”
“In sheer numbers, these and other
killings make the 20th century the
bloodiest period in human history.”
National Geo. 2006
What is Genocide??
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the deliberate and systematic extermination of a
national, racial, or cultural group.
“Genocide is a process that develops in eight
stages that are predictable but not unstoppable.
At each stage, preventive measures can stop it.”
Wikepedia
1. CLASSIFICATION:
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All cultures categorize people into "us and them“
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Ethnicity
Race
Religion
Nationality
2. SYMBOLIZATION
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We name people "Jews" or "Gypsies", or distinguish
them by colors or dress; and apply them to members of
groups.
When combined with hatred, symbols may be forced
upon unwilling members of groups
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Yellow star for Jews under Nazi rule
Blue scarf for people from the Eastern Zone in Khmer Rouge
Cambodia.
3. DEHUMANIZATION:
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One group denies the humanity of the other group.
Members equated to animals, vermin, insects or diseases.
Overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder.
4. ORGANIZATION:
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Genocide is always organized by the state or by terrorist
groups.
Special army units or militias are often trained and armed.
Plans are made for genocidal killings.
5. POLARIZATION:
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Extremists drive the groups apart.
Hate groups broadcast polarizing propaganda.
Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction.
Extremist terrorism targets moderates, intimidating and
silencing the center.
6. PREPARATION:
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Victims identified & separated because of ethnic or religious
identity.
Death lists are drawn up.
Members are forced to wear identifying symbols.
Often segregated into ghettoes, forced into concentration
camps, or confined to a famine-struck region and starved.
7. EXTERMINATION:
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Extermination begins, and quickly becomes "genocide."
“Extermination" to the killers; they do not believe their
victims to be fully human.
State Sponsored - Armed forces often work with militias to
do the killing.
Sometimes genocides result in revenge killings
8. DENIAL:
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Surest indicator of more genocidal massacres.
Perpetrators dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, cover
up evidence & intimidate witnesses.
Deny they committed crimes; often blame the victims.
Block investigations of crimes, and govern until driven from
power
Armenian Genocide (1915-1923)
Up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered
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Victim – Armenian population of Ottoman Empire
When – During & just after World War I
Ottoman authorities arrested 250 Armenian
citizens
Forced Armenians to march to modern Syria
Ignored age & gender
Rape & sexual abuse was common
Soviet Union Genocide
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Multiple instances of unnatural mass death
Famines in 1920s & 1930s, & deportation of
minorities
Soviet efforts removed extermination of political
groups from U.N. Convention on Genocide
Many Soviet atrocities no longer considered
genocide because they targeted political or
economic groups