Perpetrators of mass atrocities: terribly and terrifyingly normal?

Session Submission Type: Author meets critics

Abstract

There are many different types of perpetrators involved in mass atrocities such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and terrorism. We can distinguish the Criminal Masterminds at the top of the chain of command, the Fanatics and Careerists as their close associates and the Devoted Warriors as their loyal, obedient main executions. Lower ranking perpetrators can be driven by a number of different motives: ideology such as the True Believers and Holy Warriors; by material gain such as the Criminals and Profiteers. They can be very normal and ordinary otherwise law-abiding citizens such as the Followers and Avengers or have mental deficiencies such as the Deranged and the Predators. Or they can be put under tremendous pressure such as the Compromised perpetrators. In periods of mass atrocities the various types will influence each other and together they form an atrocity producing triangle. In this presentation the recently published book by Alette Smeulers called Perpetrators of mass atrocities: terribly and terrifyingly normal? (Routledge 2024) in which the above is described, will be discussed with two distinguished scholars in the field.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Transitional Justice (Atrocity Crimes and Transitional Justice WG)

Critics

• Mina Rauschenbach, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

• Andy Aydın-Aitchison, University of Edinburgh

• Kirsten J. Fisher, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan

Book Author

• Alette Smeulers, University of Groningen