Genocide

Introduce the book and your goals for studying it, and briefly outline the issues the book explores. Tell students that issues-based study raises varied opinions, and that, as a class, you will set some ground rules for maintaining a respectful and safe classroom atmosphere for discussing personal views. Ask the class to collaborate to create a list of expectations, such as “We’ll respect one another’s privacy”; “We’ll listen to one another”; and “We won’t insult one another.” Post the list and revisit it periodically to allow students to make observations and air problems.

Show students some materials (photographs or videos) about genocides, or read aloud a passage from the book that describes a genocide (see pp. 7, 34, 38, 48, 66, 73, 84). Ask students to free-write about their thoughts and feelings after hearing and/or seeing the material. Have students revisit their writing at the end of the study.

Distribute Starting the Study of Genocide (included in this guide) to students and have them write down their responses. Afterward, have students discuss their responses in groups or as a class.

Ask students to keep an Issues Journal (in writing or on audio or video) in which they comment on what they have read and/or discussed. Encourage frequent updates throughout the study of Genocide. Let students know from the outset whether the journal is for personal use only, or if it’s meant to be part of their assessment.

What is genocide? Try to reach class consensus on a definition.

The author explains some of the controversies in the defining of genocide. What do you think? Are forced marches, in which people die from starvation and exhaustion, genocide? Is refusing to supply life-saving drugs to a country that cannot produce or afford to buy them genocide?

What causes of genocide does the author outline?

Early in the book, the author explores the evolution of human rights. Are the ideals of human rights upheld where you live? Are there any rights that you perceive to be lacking?

Read the opening quote on page 41 of Genocide. What do you think of this statement? Can you think of examples that support it?

What stops countries from stopping genocides in other countries, or from punishing the perpetrators of the genocides? What economic and political reasons are at play in their refusal to step in?

Why is it so important that genocide survivors “tell and re-tell” their stories? Why is it so important that perpetrators of genocide admit to the atrocities, even those that happened long ago?

How can human rights initiatives in your own school, such as anti-racism and anti-bullying, help in the global eradication of genocide? What can individuals do?

Currently, how aware or active would you say you are in matters of human rights? What barriers are there for becoming more involved? When you think of your future, do you see yourself taking part in social activism for human rights?

Why has “never again” not been true?

Do you think there will be future genocides?

Students investigate the current situation in Darfur. What has occurred since the time Genocide was written? What organizations are at work to help the people of Darfur?

Subjects: World Studies, English Language Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Reread the passage on page 36 about denial and “turning a blind eye.” Students reflect on a time in their life that they experienced this — a time they turned away from a social injustice when they could have done something, or a time someone could have helped them in a situation of social injustice but did not. Students write about the experience in a letter, poem, short story or personal essay. They should have the option of keeping their writing private.

Subjects: English Language Arts, Health/Career and Life Management

Students study the list of genocides, beginning on page 120, and choose one to research. In their research, they might try to identify genocide’s eight stages as described on page 60. Have students present their research to a group, who then discuss the facts and look for similarities such as what type of government was in power at the time of the genocide, what the nation’s economic conditions were and whether there were any forms of intervention.

Subjects: World Studies, History, Geography, Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students select a book to read or website to study from the list on pages 137–38. They could give a report on their reading, select passages that they want to share with the class, or write an essay about the book.

Subjects: English Language Arts, World Studies, History, Humanities and Social Sciences

Students conduct further research on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the role of the United Nations and the role of the Special Advisor on Genocide Prevention. They should develop a focus for their inquiry and present their research findings in an essay or written or oral report.

Subjects: World Studies, History, Geography, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students organize research groups to find out more about the organizations that have tried to prosecute the perpetrators of genocide: the International War Crimes Tribunal, the International Criminal Court, the truth commissions, the Rwanda Tribunal and the Yugoslav Tribunal. They could share their information in a visual and text display, oral report or format of their choice.

Subjects: World Studies, Civics, History, Geography, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students investigate careers that support human rights, such as human rights law, work with government agencies, aid work with NGOs, medical work, fundraising, peacekeeping, journalism.

Subjects: Health/Career and Life Management, English Language Arts

Students work as a class to develop a filmography and bibliography, including Web resources, on genocide. Groups of students could be responsible for a part of the project (e.g., one group could research biographies; another could focus on films about the Holocaust). Each entry should have a brief annotation. The resource could be placed in the school or local library, and/or on the school website or offered to classes in other schools.

Subjects: World Studies, History, Geography, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students create an artwork (photo essay, sculpture, collage, painting) on the subject of genocide. They might use a quote from the book, or from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or a term such as “R2P” as the basis for their work. They could organize a gallery display of the work for the school/community and include a pamphlet or catalogue describing the theme and each art piece.

Subjects: Arts (Visual Arts), World Studies, History, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students choose a topic to debate, such as “Hate literature and media on the Internet should not be outlawed,” or “There is nothing an average citizen can do about genocide,” or “Survivors of genocides should be granted reparations.”

Subjects: World Studies, History, Geography, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students consider their own government — local, regional or national — and think about whether there are any “uncomfortable truths” they feel about it. Has the government denied something it shouldn’t have, in students’ opinions? Is it investing in initiatives that make students uncomfortable? Is it ignoring something that students think is too important to be ignored? Students can write about their thoughts in an essay or letter.

Subjects: Civics, World Studies, History, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts

Students work as a class to create a memorial for all the victims, including those who survived, of genocide throughout history. It could be a plaque, a video, a mixed-media piece, an artwork or a symbolic monument. They might also wish to organize an event or service to introduce the piece to the school.

Subjects: Arts (Visual Arts), World Studies, History, Geography, Humanities and Social Sciences, English Language Arts