Teaching Genocide and Human Rights for the 21st Century

J.D. BowersNorthern Illinois University

Genocide and Human Rights Institute

Tony GuzzaldoThompson Junior High SchoolOswego, Illinois

© Genocide and Human Rights Institute, 2007

Four Approaches

1. Integration of Multimedia

2. Consideration of Outcomes—refugees and justice

3. Predicting Genocide

4. New Methods for working with Primary Sources

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Multimedia Rationale and Forms

• Rationale – walking the tightrope– Integration of multimedia enables students to

comprehend the severity of genocide without assaulting them with graphic violence

• Three forms– Music– Imagery– Videos

1. Integration of Multimedia

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Music

• Manageable medium for students • Music that addresses genocide is emotionally

charged– Helps students grasp severity without assaulting them

• Example: System of a Down

1. Integration of Multimedia

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Imagery

• What is overkill? What is effective?– Careful use of imagery addresses students’ need for

visualization without having to expose them to extremely violent images

Vs.

1. Integration of Multimedia

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Video

• Combines music and imagery into a single medium• Captures and maintains students’ attention• Activity: compare and contrast the experience of

reading about Rwandan propaganda vs. viewing video that addresses the same topic

1. Integration of Multimedia

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Rwandan Refugees

• More than two million people fled the violence

• 280,000 Rwandans crossed the bridge into Goma, Congo in one day

2. Consideration of Outcomes

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Refugees in the World

• An estimated 27 million people are refugees from political and ethnic violence worldwide (Heidenrich, How to Prevent Genocide, 2001)

• The issue of refugees transcends moral issues (as if those were not enough). Rational self-interest is also at stake.

– Refugees consume massive amounts of emergency aid and relief resources

– Refugees destabilize the world order—cause of the 1996 civil war in Zaire/Congo.

– Refugees shift the political order, forcing nations into a two-pronged policy

• Case Studies– Dadaab in Kenya holds nearly 200,000

Somalis who fled the violence in their country in 1992.

– More than 175,000 Rwandans remain in Goma, Congo and nearly 40,000 are buried in unmarked, mass graves as a result of cholera outbreaks.

– Ethiopia has more than 280,000 Somali refugees

– Chad holds some 175,000 refugees from Sudan/Darfur and is currently engaged in military operations in its border region to prevent destabilization.

– Iraq has more than 1.3 million refugees in foreign countries and another 2.7 internally displaced peoples (AP/Red Crescent Report)

2. Consideration of Outcomes

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Refugee Simulations

• Against All Odds – Refugee Simulation Game

http://www.playagainstallodds.com/

• Carly – UNHCRhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF1HGfg2bSo

• Darfur is Dying – Simulation

http://www.darfurisdying.com/

• Engage James G. Brown's stance on the Sudan game and Samuel Totten’s stance on simulations.

– What can a child learn?– Is it fruitful to even have

“simulations”?– What are the dangers?

2. Consideration of Outcomes

Every year June 20th is designated as World Refugee Day

© Genocide and Human Rights Institute, 2007

Justice• South Africa Truth and

Reconciliation Commission—no penalty for admission of guilt.

• Rwanda—ICTR, RNG, and gacaca (“courts on the grass”).

• Cambodia/Khmer Rouge Trials—ICT UN sponsored.

2. Consideration of Outcomes

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Teaching Ideas

Aristolean political analysis: 1. Why did people act as they did? 2. What did they stand to gain? 3. Why the indifference of the rest of the

world? 4. Where did all parties fail to accurately

assess their own actions?

With answers to these questions we can see the need for prediction.

3. Predicting Genocide

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The Eight Stages of Genocideby Gregory Stanton, Genocide Watch (www.genocidewatch.org)

1. Classification2. Symbolization3. Dehumanization4. Organization5. Polarization6. Preparation7. Extermination8. Denial

Genocide is a process that develops in eight stages that are predictable but not inexorable. At each stage, preventive measures can stop it. The later stages must be preceded by the earlier stages, though earlier stages continue to operate throughout the process.

3. Predicting Genocide

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Where will genocide happen next?

• Rationale for attempting: Education as a real agent for change

• Determining factors:– Increasing ethnic tensions— “the other”– Build up of weapons– Historical hatreds– The Eight Stages– State sovereignty– What if we’re wrong?

• Comparison study is essential– We can identify preconditions historically– Can intervene before conditions move up the stages

3. Predicting Genocide

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Scenario

Will genocide happen here?

Is the “recipe” for a genocide present?

What country/region do you think this is?

• Multiethnic state• Political and ethnic cleavage with strict

physical division• Competing religious groups, including

large numbers of Christians and Muslims

• A history of inter-communal violence• Repeated and sustained hate speech• Previously expressed (and

documented on the world sage) intent to slaughter the minority population

• Uneven economic administration and discriminatory policies

• Majority is persisting in international isolation of the minority

• Foreign invasion• Continued military presence from

outside nations and UN forces

3. Predicting Genocide

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Cyprus

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Teaching Resources

• Pyramid of Hate Handout

• Genocide Convention Handout

• Human Rights Handout

• A Child’s View of Genocide

4. New Methods

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Presentation Bibliography• Northern Illinois University Genocide and Human Rights Institute

– “Teaching Genocide with Music,”– Propaganda in Rwanda Handout– Rwanda Set Induction Videos by Tony Guzzaldo– UN Convention on Genocide and UN Declaration of Human Rights Handouts– “The Rwandan Genocide: 800,000 lives in 100 days” Ppt

• E-simulations– Against All Odds, http://www.playagainstallodds.com/– Carly, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF1HGfg2bSo – Darfur is Dying, http://www.darfurisdying.com/

• Samuel Totten, “Diminishing the Complexity and Horror of the Holocaust,” in Social Education, 2000, at http://members.ncss.org/se/6403/640308.html.

• James G. Brown, “Teaching About Genocide in a New Millennium,” in Social Education, Jan/Feb. 2007, 21-23.

• Eight Stages of Genocide: http://www.genocidewatch.org/aboutgenocide/8stages.htm • “Delusions of Darfur,” Chicago Tribune, Editorial, April 13, 2007.• Pyramid of Hate: Anti-Defamation League,

http://www.adl.org/education/courttv/pyramid_of_hate.pdf

© Genocide and Human Rights Institute, 2007