“If we do not confront this, who will?”: Reconsidering Genocide Education

Abstract

Herb Hirsch wanted his students to learn about genocide broadly, and about the ongoing nature of mass atrocity; he wrote with an urgency about the human rights violations that occur across the globe today. More than knowledge, however, Dr. Hirsch wanted to encourage his students to take action. These are critical goals, and how to achieve them is what animates this paper. This article seeks to answer the central question of how to reimagine genocide education in order to engage students in a deep understanding of the ongoing nature of genocide, and projects that engender meaningful social change. This reconsideration of genocide education begins in primary schools, moves through middle and high schools, and ends at the university level; it involves all levels of teachers and learners.