Folkmordens historia. Perspektiv på det moderna samhällets skuggsida

• This account of genocide in the twentieth century contains a) a description of cases, b) an interpretation of different mechanisms of genocide and c) a comparative analysis of genocides as a historical phenomenon in the modern era. The text is divided into sections that are interrelated. The introduction gives a general background to the concept, describes the Genocide Convention and defines the concepts of categories, actors, structure and process. Three perspectives are presented on how genocide can be understood. The following cases have been selected. They are presented within the framework of historical processes, i.e., they are treated not only as singular events but also as expressions of conflict processes: the Congo (1880-1920), the Herero people (1904), the Armenian people (1915-1918), the Soviet Union (1917-1953), the Holocaust (1933-1945), Chechnya (1944, 1994-) Cambodia (1975-1979), Rwanda (1990-1994) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-1995). The next section is devoted to theories and concepts that are used in the analysis of genocide in general, with special emphasis on victims. Then comes a discussion of a main tenet in the scholarly debate, i.e., between adherents of intentionalism and functionalism, respectively. It is pointed out that on the one hand, the Genocide Convention is based on a presumption of immediate intention behind genocide, and on the other hand much of the research has focused on the cumulative aspect of genocide as a lengthy process. The three concluding sections approach the genocidal society, the effects of genocide and genocide prevention. In the last section, one focus of analysis is on the function of historical myths in pre-genocide situations and the role of a society’s historical culture for fostering mythic images of adversaries that must be annihilated.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Historia (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- History (hsv//eng)

Keyword

historical culture

Cambodja

Rwanda

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Chechnya

Holocaust

Germany

Turkey

Soviet Union

Herero

Congo

Genocide

Armenia

Publication and Content Type

bok (subject category)

vet (subject category)