Genocide denial

Genocide denial is the attempt to deny or minimize the scale and severity of an instance of genocide. Denial is an integral part of genocide^[1]^[2]^[3] and includes the secret planning of genocide, propaganda while the genocide is going on,^[1] and destruction of evidence of mass killings. According to genocide researcher Gregory Stanton, denial "is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres".^[4]

Some scholars define denial as the final stage of a genocidal process.^[1] Historian, Richard Hovannisian states, "Complete annihilation of a people requires the banishment of recollection and suffocation of remembrance. Falsification, deception and half-truths reduce what was, to what might have been or perhaps what was not at all."^[5]

Prominent examples include: the denial of the Armenian, Bosnian, Cambodian, and Rwandan genocides, denial of the Holocaust, and denial of genocides against colonized indigenous peoples.^[6]

The distinction between historical revisionism and historical negationism, including genocide denial, rests upon the techniques and motivations which are used.

Historical revisionists and negationists rewrite history in order to support an agenda, which is usually political or ideological, by using falsification and rhetorical fallacies in order to obtain their desired results. Exposure of genocide denial and revisionism surged in the early 21st century, facilitated by the propagation of conspiracy theories and hate speech on social media.^[6]

^ ^a ^b ^c Üngör, Uğur Ümit; Adler, Nanci (2017). "Indonesia in the Global Context of Genocide and Transitional Justice". Journal of Genocide Research. 19 (4): 609–617. doi:10.1080/14623528.2017.1393985.
^ Huttenbach, Henry R. (1999). "The Psychology and Politics of Genocide Denial: a Comparison of Four Case Studies". Studies in Comparative Genocide. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 216–229. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-27348-5_12. ISBN 978-1-349-27348-5. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
^ Herf, Jeffrey (2006). The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda during the World War II and the Holocaust. Harvard University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-674038-59-2.
^ Stanton 2020.
^ Hovannisian, Richard G. (1998). "Denial of the Armenian genocide in Comparison with Holocaust Denial". Remembrance and Denial: The Case of the Armenian Genocide. Wayne State University Press. p. 202. ISBN 081432777X. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Der Matossian explores genocide denialism in the 21st century". 10 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024.

[jgr-1] Üngör, Uğur Ümit; Adler, Nanci (2017). "Indonesia in the Global Context of Genocide and Transitional Justice". Journal of Genocide Research. 19 (4): 609–617. doi:10.1080/14623528.2017.1393985.

[2] Huttenbach, Henry R. (1999). "The Psychology and Politics of Genocide Denial: a Comparison of Four Case Studies". Studies in Comparative Genocide. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 216–229. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-27348-5_12. ISBN 978-1-349-27348-5. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2020.

[3] Herf, Jeffrey (2006). The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda during the World War II and the Holocaust. Harvard University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-674038-59-2.

[FOOTNOTEStanton2020-4] Stanton 2020.

[5] Hovannisian, Richard G. (1998). "Denial of the Armenian genocide in Comparison with Holocaust Denial". Remembrance and Denial: The Case of the Armenian Genocide. Wayne State University Press. p. 202. ISBN 081432777X. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.

[Dermatossian-6] "Der Matossian explores genocide denialism in the 21st century". 10 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024.

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