Document Type
Article
Abstract
The phenomenon of massacre appears as a blight on the history of mankind, and history is replete with numerous examples. Despite their apparent barbaric nature, however, massacres have probably been more common in the contemporary world. A concept of massacres is often evaluative based principally on public perception. Newspaper headlines detailing the gore of My Lai and Sabra-Shatilla captivated and titillated readers throughout the world. Reported, but not documented, examples of "mass murder" in Cambodia, Uganda and Afghanistan also attested to its prevalence. What combination of factors - sociological, psychological, political, or economic - produce this extreme form of group behavior? What are the underlying causes of massacres? Do they follow a common pattern or is each unique? Providing answers to these questions will be the purpose of this paper.
Recommended Citation
Stewart, James R. and Zimmerman, Larry J.
(1989)
"To Dehumanize and Slaughter: A Natural History Model of Massacres,"
Great Plains Sociologist: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/greatplainssociologist/vol2/iss1/2