Speech and Genocide

Inflammatory hate speech catalyzes mass killings including genocide, according to scholars, survivors and, notably, some former perpetrators. By teaching people to view other human beings as less than human, and as mortal threats, thought leaders can make atrocities seem acceptable – and even necessary, as a form of collective self defense.

This paper draws together the authors’ independent past work on dangerous speech and the ideological dynamics of mass atrocities by offering a new integrated model to help identify the sorts of speech and ideology that raise the risk of atrocities and genocides

Political leaders in Nazi Germany, Rwanda, and other pre-genocidal societies prepared civilian populations to condone genocide, by using certain techniques to make mass killing seem first acceptable, and then necessary. This article describes those techniques, and includes them in a new six-prong model for incitement to genocide.

This part of the exhibit explores the theme of mass media, in particular, print, radio and film.Because media is so diverse, it is impossible to generalize its impact, its role or its intent. However, the people behind the media (journalists, publishers and editors, photographers, documentary filmmakers, etc.) always interact with power.

These lesson plans explore how propaganda and hate speech were used by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Lessons encourage critical thinking about the effects of propaganda on people and society.