Genocide Watch

Genocide Watch is an advocacy group that aims to prevent genocide by raising awareness and influencing public policy. They address potential and ongoing genocides.

The organization’s analyses are based on the “10 stages towards genocide” model. The 10 stages are: 1) Classification, 2) Symbolization, 3) Discrimination, 4) Dehumanization, 5) Organization, 6) Polarization, 7) Preparation, 8) Persecution, 9) Extermination, 10) Denial.

For the purpose of advocacy, the organization issues three levels of “genocide alerts”:

A Genocide Watch is declared when there are signs of the early stages of the genocidal process. 

A Genocide Warning is called when the genocidal process has reached the stages of preparation by perpetrators and persecution of a targeted group.

A Genocide Emergency is declared when the genocidal process has reached the stage of genocidal massacres and other acts of genocide.

While not as methodologically strong or empirically comprehensive as for instance the assessments from the Early Warning System or the Global Centre, their analyses are still valuable and they have some very interesting learning resources. The “10 step model”, and previous similar models, have been influential in the field of genocide studies and provide an important addition to more legally based analyses. A core contribution is the perspective that genocide is a process that has a certain logic. This could make it possible to call for prevention before the strict requirements of the Genocide Convention are met.

Relevant terms: Genocide: Genocide Watch refers to the Genocide Convention and to an interpretation of Lemkin’s definition. In the 10 stage model, extermination and persecution include actions that could be covered by the Genocide Convention. However, bringing the concept of stages of genocide as a starting point for analysis, Genocide Watch clearly splits from the definition in the Convention.