An introduction to the field

A few policy documents and a research based introductory book provide a good place to start for anyone interested in learning more about mass atrocity prevention.

For a comprehensive introduction to the field of mass atrocity prevention, the book Fundamentals of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention by Scott Straus is an extremely useful place to start. It is published by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Best of all, it is free to download.

A key policy document is the Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes published by the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. The Framework is an important reference point in the policy field of mass atrocity prevention, both in terms of assessing risks and outlining prevention strategies.

Key UN documents and essential references in the atrocity prevention field include the Report of the United Nations Secretary-General ‘Implementing the Responsibility to Protect’ (2009) where the three pillar structure of R2P is presented, and the adoption of the World Summit Outcome by the UN General Assembly in 2005, which adopted the R2P doctrine.