Diffusing Genocide Studies, Defusing Genocides

In evaluating the state of the field of comparative genocide studies, this article explores themes such as the "return to Raphael Lemkin," evident in some recent works; scholarly investigations of the genocidal dynamic in Western colonialism and the parallels in Nazi depredations; and ongoing efforts to "resurrect" little-known and forgotten genocides of the past. The growing pluralism and internationalization of genocide studies is acknowledged but contrasted with certain parochial features of the field, which endure. This article concludes with observations on the increasingly prominent role of genocide scholars in policy-making and humanitarian spheres.