This is a study of the systematic destruction of national, racial, religious, ethnic, or political groups. Our aims include:

• analysing the motives for, and the ideological bases of, such killings;
• examining the socio-political conditions under which such mass killings can occur;
• observing the techniques and technologies used in genocides;
• assessing legal and moral/personal responsibility for their occurrence;
• analysing the indifference of bystanders while these events occur;
• distinguishing and assessing gradations of genocide;
• assessing punishment and impunity in genocide;
• reviewing what safeguards there are against repetitions of genocide.

Long essay (3,200 - 3,800 words) on the Armenian and Jewish genocides of the twentieth century (50%); a second essay (2,000 - 2,500 words) on any one of 34 genocidal case studies apart from the two above, (40%); and tutorial work (10%). Note: For the second assignment, Indigenous Studies students will be directed towards study of the experiences of indigenous peoples in colonial contexts in Africa, Australia, Asia, and in North, Central and South America.

1 x two-hour lecture, 1 x one-hour tutorial per week (tutorials begin second week).

Two first year courses in Political Science to the value of 12 points, or with the written permission of the lecturer.

Tatz, C. With Intent to Destroy: Reflecting on Genocide, Verso, London, 2000.
Reading Brick: volumes I and II Genocide Studies.

• The Holocaust and Antisemitism chapters in the Encyclopaedia Judaica.
• Remembering and Understanding the Armenian Genocide, by Rouben Adalian, on www.genocide.am/index0.htm
• Aboriginal History journal, vol. 25, 2001: special issue on genocide in Australia.
• The Encyclopedia of Genocide, ed. Israel Charny, selected case studies.