Genocide and the Global Village

A half-century ago, the international community made a solemn promise to "never again" allow genocide to go unchallenged. In the early days of the post-Cold War era, international leaders failed to stop horrific genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda, chiefly because Western leaders lack the "political will" to use decisive force. Despite increased attention to war crimes issues, American military policy still gives lowest priority to responding to gross abuses of human rights. In Genocide and the Global Village , Kenneth Campbell explains why the international community fails to prevent, suppress, and punish contemporary genocide. Campbell provides a multi-level analysis of genocide's impact upon world order, and the inter-play of politics and morality in the international community's determination of the appropriate role for military force in halting genocide and securing an emerging global civil society. He recommends practical steps the international community can take to greatly improve its response the next time genocide occurs--a next time that will occur.

Kenneth J. Campbell is Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware.