ABSTRACT
Scholars and policymakers know increasingly more about how genocide and other mass atrocities could in principle be prevented, and there has been progress in terms of implementing the lessons derived from this pool of knowledge. There is an ever-increasing body of academic and policy-related literature on the risk factors and triggers of genocide and mass atrocities. Some of this literature consists of large-scale studies that use quantitative methodologies to try to reveal causes of genocide and/or other mass atrocities; some consists of case studies that mostly use qualitative methods. Linking social science research with the "policy world" can be problematic, but the prevention agenda has been developed through considerable interaction between academics, policymakers, and diplomats. Over the past decade or more, considerable work has been done to construct and spread norms on preventing mass atrocities, inform prevention policies, and develop prevention capabilities and institutions.
