ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the distinguishing characteristics of “new wars” as a major enabling context of mass atrocity. It also provides context for the volume by reviewing the similarities and differences among mass atrocity crimes – including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The chapter also introduces mass atrocity prevention as a multilayered approach running throughout the pre, mid-, and post-conflict cycle. Finally, the chapter closes by looking at the preventive implications, and overlaps, between conflict prevention and mass atrocity prevention.
