Genocide and Mass Killing: Origins, Prevention, Healing and Reconciliation

TLDR

The article examines mass killing and genocide, outlining their origins, contributing factors, and the roles of leaders and bystanders in escalating violence. The study aims to explore prevention strategies by emphasizing healing processes within victimized communities and fostering reconciliation between opposing groups. It describes international and local interventions to stop violence, including a Rwanda project on healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Abstract

This article focuses on intense collective violence, especially mass killing and genocide. It briefly presents a conception of their origins, with new elements in the conception and comparisons with other approaches. Various aspects of genocide and mass killing are considered, including their starting points (such as difficult life conditions and group conflict), cultural characteristics, psychological and social processes (such as destructive ideologies), the evolution of increasing violence and its effect on perpetrators and bystanders, and the roles of leaders and of internal and external bystanders. Actions that might be taken by the community of nations and other actors to halt or prevent violence are described. In considering prevention there is a focus on processes of healing within previously victimized groups and reconciliation between hostile groups. A project on healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation in Rwanda is briefly described.