Unit 1: Justice and Lemkin

Overview: 

This unit helps students to see the complexity behind defining justice. It opens with general activities looking at how justice is pursued in schools. It also lays groundwork for key international crimes and their definitions. Students study  the Armenian Genocide and some of the back story behind Raphael Lemkin. Students learn about Tehliarian's trial and how the news of his testimony inspired Lemkin to dedicate his life coming up with word and subsequent law for what Churchill announced was a "Crime without a Name."

Essential Question: 

1. What is Genocide? What are the strengths and limitations of the law preventing genocide and massive human rights violations? 

2. How can new words change the way people think about a problem? Can they change people’s attitudes? 

3. What is sovereignty? Why does it sometimes stand in the way of stopping mass violence? 

4. What is the difference between national and international crimes? When do individuals, groups, and nations have the right or duty to intervene on behalf of victims in other countries? 

5. What legacy did Lemkin leave for the struggle against state-sponsored violence? What work remains to be done?

Final Tasks:

Students will write a letter to Winston Churchill in response to his radio address in the voice of Raphael Lemkin. In their letter, students must use at least three concepts from Lemkin that were studied in class (i.e.barbarism, civilized world, humanity, vandalism, laws, sovereignty). It is not until 1944 that Lemkin coins the term “genocide”, so in order maintain historic integrity they cannot use the word in your letter.