Mass violence is an age-old phenomenon that continues to afflict societies
around the world. The 20th century has been marked by immeasurable destruction
caused by the two World Wars and genocides. Millions of lives have been lost in mass
atrocities. Since the mid-1940s the global community has initiated a systematic effort
for the protection of human rights by establishing international laws and tribunals
against war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocides. Yet thousands of people
worldwide are still victims of mass atrocities. This dissertation addresses mass violence
in history within a comparative approach, having an educational objective. Comparison
has already been applied in international scholarship, particularly in genocide studies.
The parallel examination of two cases of pogroms, the Armenian in Constantinople,
1895-96 and the Greek in Istanbul, 1955, highlights the fundamental elements of the
mechanism of mass violence and provides deeper insight into the issue. Mass violence
education in a comparative context can help students to acquire critical thinking skills
and understanding of how human rights violations occur. By extension, awareness
through education can contribute to the prevention of mass atrocities.
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