Holocaust and Genocide Studies came into its own as an academic field during the past few decades. This strongly internationally oriented programme is interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in nature and incorporates impulses from history as well as from the social sciences and law. The field is dominated by four major issues. The first issue concerns the conditions and circumstances that may give rise to genocide. The second looks into what happens once genocide has been set into motion and closely examines the further course of events. The third issue looks at the consequences: what can happen in, with and between societies after an episode of mass violence and genocide? The fourth and last issue concerns the prevention and combating of genocide.
The courses comprising this MA track will address these four research questions. The emphasis will be on the processes of persecution, mass murder and genocide during the twentieth century, with a special focus on the Holocaust and the Armenian, Cambodian and Rwandese genocides. The curriculum includes an in-depth thematic discussion of the international context, the links between war and genocide, the politics of genocidal elitist groups, as well as of ideology, the power of the state and bureaucracy, and propaganda and mass media in relation to genocide. Other topics for discussion are the legal approach to and processing of genocide and how later generations have interpreted different cases of genocide.

The courses are offered by the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies.