TY - JOUR T1 - The Rwandan Genocide: A Humanitarian Catastrophe in the Pages of History AU - Onay, Yaşar PY - 2025 DA - August Y2 - 2025 DO - 10.26650/hupej.2025.2.1.1718146 JF - Journal of Humanity, Peace and Justice PB - Istanbul University WT - DergiPark SN - 3023-8366 SP - 13 EP - 28 VL - 2 IS - 1 LA - en AB - The 1994 Rwandan Genocide remains one of the most shocking humanitarian catastrophes in modern history. In just 100 days, nearly one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally murdered in a systematic campaign of violence. This study explores the historical background, causes, and execution of the genocide as well as the international community’s response, legal processes, and national recon/ ciliation efforts. By applying theoretical frameworks from social psychology, international relations, and transitional justice, the article hypothesises that the genocide was a modern, state/engineered political project, enabled by elite orchestration, dehumanising propaganda, and a profound failure of international responsibility. The study adopts a comparative case methodology with discourse analysis and aims to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms behind mass atrocities and strategies for their prevention. KW - Rwandan Genocide KW - Ethnic Violence KW - Dehumanisation KW - International Failure KW - Transitional Justice KW - Group Psychology CR - Annan, K. (1999). Causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa United Nations. google scholar CR - Anyanwu, J. C. and Erhijakpor, A. E. (2010). Does human capital matter in the finance-growth nexus? 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