Representing Genocide: The Holocaust as Paradigm?

This book explores the diverse ways in which Holocaust representations have influenced and structured how other genocides are understood and represented in the West. Rebecca Jinks focuses in particular on the canonical 20th century cases of genocide: Armenia, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda. Using literature, film, photography, and memorialisation, she demonstrates that we can only understand the Holocaust's status as a 'benchmark' for other genocides if we look at the deeper, structural resonances which subtly shape many representations of genocide. Representing Genocide pursues five thematic areas in turn: how genocides are recognised as such by western publics; the representation of the origins and perpetrators of genocide; how western witnesses represent genocide; representations of the aftermath of genocide; and western responses to genocide. Throughout, the book distinguishes between 'mainstream' and other, more nuanced and engaged, representations of genocide. It shows how these mainstream representations – the majority – largely replicate the representational framework of the Holocaust, including the way in which mainstream Holocaust representations resist recognising the rationality, instrumentality and normality of genocide, preferring instead to present it as an aberrant, exceptional event in human society. By contrast, the more engaged representations – often, but not always, originating from those who experienced genocide – tend to revolve around precisely genocide's ordinariness, and the structures and situations common to human society which contribute to and become involved in the violence. Reviews: “A useful introductory survey ... It is a timely contribution to an already growing body of scholarship.” – Journal of Contemporary History “Accessible to non-specialists, Representing Genocide considers mass killings in Armenia, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda, sharing knowledge that is little-known to the general public. Jinks considers expressive forms including novels, memoir, visual arts, comics and film, without getting lost in detailed textual analysis.” – Corriere della Sera (Bloomsbury translation) “Jinks' study provides a thoroughly original and innovative examination of representations of genocides other than the Holocaust – an area that has demanded more attention for a long time. The impressive breadth and depth of research combines with a highly articulate and accessible writing style that opens its intriguing subject matter up to a wide audience. An excellent piece of scholarship that engages with diverse media forms to consider some of the crucial questions for genocide representation in the 21st century. Highly recommended.” – Adam Brown, Deakin University, Australia “Jinks' insightful book is the first of its kind to apply lessons learned from the history of Holocaust representation to deepen our grasp of its importance for the representation of other genocides. Breathtaking in both its geographical span and disciplinary scope, Jinks' rich and well-informed analyses of representations of genocide across nations, cultures, and disciplines offer an exemplary path toward understanding the impact of mass killings in our time.” – Lisa Silverman, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA