Linking Genocide and War : A Conceptual Study

Genocides and wars tend to covary yet the link between them is disputed. The definition and the extension of the concept genocide is also a subject of debate. Furthermore, it is disputed if historical cases of genocide are best explained as cases of genocide, or as cases of mass killings or as cases of civilian victimization in war. This paper explores how the definitional issues that surrounds the concept of genocide affect the research that investigates the link between genocide and war. The contribution of the paper is both descriptive and prescriptive. Previous definitions of war, genocide and the link between them is mapped through a systematic review of the most prominent theoretical works in the field. The results of the review is then analyzed with help of the ladder of generality and conceptual mapping. The analysis indicates that total genocide is a relevant concept, when we explore causal links between genocide and war. The conceptual mapping showed that prominent constitutive theories has portrayed war as slaughter and war as conflict. It is concluded that redefinitions of genocide, which highlights war as a form of policing or as an art or a form of self-expression, could contribute to our explanation of how wars enable genocide