Transcript Genocide - AlphonsusWiki

Genocide
The eight stages of genocide, as
defined by Gregory H. Stanton
What are the eight stages of genocide?
Classification
Symbolization
Dehumanization
Organization
Polarization
Preparation
Extermination
Denial
Stage One: CLASSIFICATION
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Stage One: CLASSIFICATION
The action of arranging things according to shared qualities or
characteristics.
Everyday, we speak in terms of “us” and “them.”: our team/their
team. Americans/Iraqis. Christians/Muslims. Straights/gays.
Does not mean that every society in which classification occurs
will have a genocide occur. The more “bi-polar” the society is,
the more likely a genocide is to occur. The more separate physically and ideologically - these two groups in a society, the
more likely that one will attempt to exterminate the other
group.
Stage One: CLASSIFICATION
ON YOUR PAPER: Think of one way in
which we separate people in our culture.
Do you think this is likely to lead to a
genocide? Why or why not?
Stage Two: SYMBOLIZATION
Stage Two: SYMBOLIZATION
Once groups are classified, they typically - either of their own
volition to establish their identity or by force so that the dominant
group can easily identify them - adopt symbols so that they can
be told apart.
In some cases - particularly where race or ethnicity is concerned symbolization occurs even before classification, as the symbols
that suggest they belong with a certain group are innate, such as
the color of their skin or their physical features.
Again, this stage is one that does not necessarily lead to genocide.
Stage Two: SYMBOLIZATION
ON YOUR PAPER: Do groups you
identified for the last stage have symbols
that allow them - or others - to tell them
apart? If so, what are they?
Stage Three: DEHUMANIZATION
Stage Three: DEHUMANIZATION
One group denies the humanity of the other
group. Members of that group are equated
with rodents, insects, other vermin, and even
diseases.
If this stage takes hold, it becomes more
difficult to stop the progression of genocide.
Stage Three: DEHUMANIZATION
ON YOUR PAPER: Why is it necessary for a
dominant power to dehumanize the victims
of a genocide? Why would it be
impossible for a genocide to accomplish its
goal without this stage?
Stage Four: ORGANIZATION
Stage Four: ORGANIZATION
In order for the final stages of genocide to take place, organization
must occur. The group that organizes in preparation is typically
part of the state due to the amount of financial support required.
It can, however, be a terrorist group; because of the amount of
organization required, though, any group that successfully
organizes a genocide is usually sanctioned - at least to some
extent - by a state.
To a certain extent, you should think of this stage as the proverbial
“calm before the storm.” The roots of the final stages are
beginning to take hold, but very little is actually being done to the
victimized group yet.
Stage Four: ORGANIZATION
ON YOUR PAPER: What specifics would
have to be worked out by the enactors of a
genocide?
Stage Five: POLARIZATION
“Go where you wanted me to go,
you evil spirit.”
Stage Five: POLARIZATION
During this stage, the groups are driven even further apart
ideologically. Hate groups begin broadcasting propaganda
with greater frequency, and laws typically are enacted to
forbid any sort of relations between the two groups.
At this stage, it is not just the victimized group that suffers.
Any “sympathizers” or moderates are either threatened or
attacked by the dominant, oppressing group.
Stage Five: POLARIZATION
ON YOUR PAPER: Have you ever seen a
piece of propaganda intended to polarize
groups? If you have, please describe it. If
you have not, please try to imagine what it
might look like.
Stage Six: PREPARATION
Stage Six: PREPARATION
Whereas in the previous stage the victimized group was separated
ideologically from the dominant group, in this stage the
victimized group is separated physically from the rest of the
society.
The victimized group or groups are gathered together, either in
ghettoes or concentration camps. At times, they are even forced
into a famine-struck area and starved, beginning the seventh stage
of genocide.
At this stage, the world typically becomes aware of what is going
on, whether they actually step in or not.
Stage Six: PREPARATION
ON YOUR PAPER: Assuming that at this stage,
the world cannot help but notice that the
victimized group is being forced from their
homes in preparation to be slaughtered, why
wouldn’t this be the stage where every genocide
ends?
This is not a rhetorical question.
Stage Seven: EXTERMINATION
This is the stage where this process legally
becomes genocide. Mass killings occur
quickly and systematically. When
genocide is sponsored by the state, as it
almost always is, the armed forces typically
work with well-organized militias to
exterminate the victims.
Stage Seven: EXTERMINATION
ON YOUR PAPER: What previous stage or stages
allow(s) extermination to happen so quickly? If
you think that the answer is “all of them,” please
identify which stage or stages most enable the
rapidity of the execution.
Stage Eight: DENIAL
Stage Eight: DENIAL
If intervention does not occur during the seventh stage of genocide,
denial always follows extermination. Mass graves are dug up and
bodies are burned; the evidence that the genocide ever occurred is
systematically eradicated. Witnesses are bribed, intimidated, or
killed.
Investigations into the crimes are blocked by the government that
committed the atrocities.
Typically, the victims of the genocide are blamed for their fates if
their disappearance is brought up.
Stage Eight: DENIAL
ON YOUR PAPER: Think about the psychological
factors that would contribute to the effectiveness
of the denial. How could someone who
witnessed or took part in a genocide come to
believe that a genocide had not occurred?
Homework
1. Essay: How has your understanding of genocide
changed with the identification of stages? Does it
make sense? Is it logical? Why or why not?
2. Come up with an acronym for the 8 stages of
genocide.
3. Vocabulary definitions
You can find the information in this presentation
at www.genocidewatch.org/8stages.htm. This
website also contains suggestions about how to
stop genocide at each of the stages.
Thank you to Ms. Volz, formerly of Princeton High School’s
History department, for this resource.
Images taken from http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/sturmer.htm and various
sources found through Google Images.
Presentation created by Mr. Levandowski for use at Princeton High School.