Dissertation
How Genocide Works: The Language, Psychology, and Understanding Behind Mass Atrocity
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005128
Abstract
In this dissertation I argue that all cases of genocide are initiated and subsequently guided by what I call the ‘language of genocide’. I argue that the origins of the behavioral act that is genocide are found within the use of carefully formulated linguistic patterns. Moreover, the central tenet that drives this project is that language patterns precede behavioral patterns. This language, I contend, can be found in and across the eight unique stages of genocide identified within this project. Additionally, this project shows that there are specific language patterns that act as inflection and subsequent transitional cues between each of the eight stages. Using the cases of the Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Bosnian Genocide respectively, I show that there are specific wording and phrasing patterns used within each case that when stripped of context-specific identifiers are almost identical in nature. Using a linguistic and cross-content case study methodology I show how each case provides direct evidence to my claim that there is a ‘language’ used by perpetrators that transcends any one case of genocide. This evidence is taken from elite delivered-speeches, official governmental policies, and media publications before and during each genocide case. This language in turn, due to its repetitive nature, allows for predictability in these patterns to be found and as such allows for a ‘language template’ to be created. This template can then be used to both foretell and better understand current and future genocide cases. The highlighting of this language and subsequent formation of this predictability template aids the larger genocide studies literature by illuminating the role language, and specifically stage-to-stage transitional language, plays in the functionality of genocidal violence. It is the documenting of this transitional language, I contend, that provides the greatest advancement of the genocide studies discipline.
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Details
- Title
- How Genocide Works
- Creators
- Chase Riddle
- Contributors
- Martha Cottam (Advisor)Thomas Preston (Advisor)Raymond Sun (Committee Member)Michael Goldsby (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 258
- Identifiers
- 99901019633301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation