Governments, Citizens, and Genocide

"Governments, Citizens, and Genocide" discusses the crime of genocide through a distinctly social science lens, with specific references to the ideas and concepts that have been developed to explain criminal behaviour. It begins with a discussion of the problems in defining genocide and proceeds to examine genocide from macro, meso, and micro levels. By connecting these three points of analysis, Alvarez provides a more complete understanding of genocide than have narrower studies focusing on only one aspect of this crime. Beginning with the macro level, Alvarez reviews the role of the state in perpetrating genocide with the rationale that genocide is invariably created and carried out by governments and their agents. He then explores the organisational level since genocide is perpetrated by individuals acting in their capacities as members of bureaucratic structures. The third level of analysis examines the ways in which individuals come to participate. With this integrated approach, Alvarez is able to examine genocide from a variety of structural, organisational, and individual frames of reference, providing an impressive and skilful synthesis of the extant genocide literature. He also offers fascinating new insights into the ways in which moral inhibitions are suppressed in the implementation of and acquiescence to genocidal policies. From the lessons he draws, Alvarez concludes with a discussion of the ways in which genocide can be detected and prevented.