1. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
“The Eight Stages of Genocide”
Gregory H. Stanton, President, Genocide Watch

2. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
1. CLASSIFICATION:
Distinction by ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality into “us and them”
Bipolar societies that lack mixed categories are the most likely to have genocide

3. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
2. SYMBOLIZATION:
Applying names or other symbols to classifications.
Stages 1 and 2 are universal human behavior and do not result in genocide unless they lead to dehumanization.

4. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
3. DEHUMANIZATION:
Perpetrator group denies victim group’s humanity through hate propaganda.
Victim members are equated with animals, vermin, insects or diseases to overcome perpetrator’s normal revulsion against murder.

5. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
4. ORGANIZATION:
Perpetrator groups organize and plan for genocidal killings
Can be state-led special army units, affiliated militias, informal mobs, or decentralized terrorist groups

6. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
5. POLARIZATION:
Extremists widen social divides through hate propaganda, socially-restrictive laws, and/or intimidation or murder of moderates.

7. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
6. PREPARATION:
Victims are identified and targeted.
Victim groups members are forced to wear identifying symbols
Property expropriated
Physical confinement into ghettos, concentration camps, or famine-struck regions
Death lists established

8. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
7. EXTERMINATION
Mass killing is “extermination” because the killers do not believe their victims to be fully human.

9. How does genocide occur?
Stanton, Eight Stages of Genocide
How does genocide occur?
8. DENIAL
Perpetrators deny crimes, destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses, blame victims, block investigations, and continue to govern until forced from power.