What is Genocide?

by Martin Shaw, Gareth Schott

In this intellectually and politically potent new book, Martin Shaw proposes a way through the confusion surrounding the idea of genocide. He considers the origins and development of the concept and its relationships to other forms of political violence. Offering a radical critique of the existing literature on genocide, Shaw argues that what distinguishes genocide from more legitimate warfare is that the enemies targeted are groups and individuals of a civilian character. He vividly illustrates his argument from a wide range of historical episodes, and shows how the question 'What is genocide?' matters politically whenever populations are threatened by violence. This compelling book will undoubtedly open up vigorous debate, appealing to students and scholars across the social sciences and in law. Shaw's arguments will be of lasting importance.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction

232 pages, Hardcover

First published February 16, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Martin Shaw is a British sociologist of global politics, war, and genocide. He received a BA from the University of London in 1968 an a Ph.D. from the University of Hull in 1993.


Currently Research Professor at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) and the University of Sussex, and Professorial Fellow in International Relations and Human Rights at the University of Roehampton, London.

Reviews

[Keith Hullenaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant

An intellectual challenge to the superfluous conceptualization surrounding the academic genocide literature. Shaw's position seems like common sense, but in the shadow of the obfuscation of genocide by academics and state politicians, his ideas attempt to shift the trend and bring genocide back to its most fundamental , sociological form . Great read for those of us new to the field of genocide and state violence.

[Castles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Highly dense and academical, this book deals with Lemkin’s definition of genocide and tries to find a new one that will fit our times, and to the main issue which is the fact the no genocide was ever stopped from happening by the United Nations. unfortunately, Shaw's interpretation of what is actually a genocide is flawed to its core.

[Maura Lehmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Clearly legal decisions will always have to be made on the basis of the Convention and its case law, but political decisions and national and international levels must respond to the ideas of genocide that are held within world society. If a broader, more sociologically coherent conception becomes accepted not just in academia, but in public debate, then decisions about intervention in genocidal crises will be less easily avoided by confusing legal references." (170)

[sube · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as introduction into the field of genocide studies - but it serves far more as an *intervention* and not as a literature review, and then proposing its own view. This is sad, because it made the book quite foreign to me and less interesting & not helpful in moving further in reading about the various arguments at hand. Sad.

[نوره حسن · Rating 4 out of 5]

هذا الكتاب يشرح إيش هي الإبادة الجماعية أو القتل الجماعي وكيف بدأ ولأي الجماعات حصل وهكذا بشكل تاريخي وعلى مراحل ، غالبًا ما بيعجب إلا المهتمين بالعلوم الإجتماعية والإنسانية 🤷🏻‍♀️