ABSTRACT
Genocide. Few words seem to be able to evoke such an immediate and emotional response as this simple word. Yet, for all of its power and ability to elicit outrage and condemnation, it is a term that is much misunderstood and often misapplied. Defined as a crime under international law since 1948, it has only gained wide currency in recent years and come into fairly common usage. But what exactly is it? Given its ubiquity, defining genocide is surprisingly difficult. We shouldn’t be surprised at this, however, since describing any phenomenon as complex, as varied, and as changeable as genocide is ultimately very problematic. Think of it this way. A definition is supposed to describe something in order to provide a clear picture of the object being studied. In many ways it provides a snapshot of a phenomenon that tells people what the thing “looks like.” A good definition should clearly illustrate what fits
and, importantly, what does not fit. Yet social phenomena are rarely if ever so clear-cut and easily captured by a few brief sentences. Genocide is no exception to this rule. There are a number of specific reasons why genocide is a difficult concept to define.
