The Specter of genocide: mass murder in historical perspective

Abstract

essay collection that attempts to make sense of some of the most tragic and bloodthirsty episodes of the twentieth century.The essays, written by historians, political scientists, and sociologists, seek to discern the political, social, cultural, and economic factors that led to genocide.The question that haunts the authors is how and why does a regime turn genocidal?The field of genocide studies has been slow to develop, much like the concept itself.While incidents of mass murder can be found throughout history, the legal concept of "genocide" developed in the twentieth century.