Genocide and Human Rights

Genocide is evil or nothing could be. It raises a host of questions about humanity, rights, justice, and reality, which are key areas of concern for philosophy. Strangely, however, philosophers have tended to ignore genocide. Even more problematic, philosophy and philosophers bear more responsibility for genocide than they have usually admitted. In Genocide and Human Rights: A Philosophical Guide, an international group of twenty-five contemporary philosophers work to correct those deficiencies by showing how philosophy can and should respond to genocide, particularly in ways that defend human rights.

'Although it is often said that philosophers have nothing important to say about genocide, the essays in this book prove otherwise. The topic is covered from numerous points of view and always with care. One can only hope that by gaining a better understanding of how evil of this magnitude is possible, we will be in a better position to stop it from happening again.' - Kenneth Seeskin,

Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern University, USA

'John K. Roth's Genocide and Human Rights makes a significant contribution to the philosophical study of genocide. Although most contributors to this volume are philosphers from the analytic tradition, many are open to, and directly invoke the work of, continental thinkers. This inclusive approach is welcome... The result is a rich and conceptually illuminating discussion that will no doubt stimulate further philosophical reflection on genocide and other forms of mass violence.' - Journal of Genocide Research

ROBERT BERNASCONI Moss Professor of Philosophy, University of Memphis, USA CLAUDIA CARD Emma Goldman Professor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin, USA STEPHEN T. DAVIS Russell K. Pitzer Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College, USA EMMANUEL C. EZE Associate Professor of Philosophy, DePaul University, USA RAIMOND GAITA Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College University of London and Professor of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University, AUSTRALIA NORMAN GERAS Professor Emeritus, Department of Government, University of Manchester, UK ROGER S. GOTTLIEB Professor of Philosophy, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, UK LEONARD GROB Co-founder of the biennial Pastora Goldner Holocaust Symposium, Professor of Philosophy, Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA PATRICK HAYDEN Lecturer in Political Theory, Victoria University of Wellington, NEW ZEALAND DAVID H. JONES Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, College of William and Mary, USA BEREL LANG Professor of Humanities, Trinity College, Connecticut, USA SANDER H. LEE Professor of Philosophy, Keene State College, USA MICHAEL MACK Sesqui Fellow, 2004-07, University of Sydney, AUSTRALIA MICHAEL L. MORGAN Chancellor's Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA DAVID PATTERSON Bornblum Chair of Excellence in Judaic Studies, University of Memphis, USA D. Z. PHILLIPS Danforth Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Claremont Graduate University and Professor of Philosophy Emeritusand Rush Rhees Professor Emeritus, University of Wales, Swansea, UK PAUL SANTILLI Professor of Philosophy, Siena College, USA THOMAS W. SIMON Professor of Philosophy, Illinois State University, USA FREDERICK E. SONTAG Robert C. Denison Professor of Philosophy, Pomona College, USA COLIN TATZ Founder and Director, Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, University of New South Wales, AUSTRALIA LAURENCE M. THOMAS Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, Maxwell School in Syracuse University, USA JAMES R. WATSON Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University, New Orleans, USA PAUL WOODRUFF Darrell K. Royal Professor in Ethics and American Society, Department of Philosophy, University of Texas, Austin, USA EDITH WYSCHOGROD J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Philosophy Emerita, Rice University, USA