Genocide in the Modern World (HIST7405)
Course level
Postgraduate Coursework
Units
2
Duration
One Semester
Class hours
2 Lecture hours
1 Tutorial hour
Recommended prerequisite
Students taking this course would preferably have studied History or other Social Sciences or Humanities subjects at undergraduate level.
Restricted
Course offering may be cancelled if fewer than 10 students enrol
Assessment methods
Assignments and final examination
Course enquiries
Dr Patrick Jory
Study Abroad
This course is pre-approved for Study Abroad and Exchange students.
This course is not currently offered, please contact the school or faculty of your program.
Course description
This course addresses issues of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity from a comparative historical perspective. Taking a global perspective the course will investigate the historical reasons for the emergence of the crime of genocide in the modern era. It will consider the ideological, cultural, social, and economic causes of intense persecution, including, but not limited to, genocide according to strict legal definitions. It will look at the special place of indigenous peoples in debates about genocide. It will examine the moral issues involved in achieving justice for the victims of genocide as well as attempts to achieve reconciliation between victims and perpetrators in societies recovering from intense violent conflict. Finally it will study international attempts to anticipate and prevent genocide, and the tension between the principle of national sovereignty and "humanitarian intervention".