Talking About Genocide A Discussion Activity

Talking about genocide

Optional Warm-up activity

As a whole-class activity, have students read Statement #3 and then have a short, guided discussion as to what attitudes enslavers expressed (in word and deed) toward enslaved labor. 

Some points to emphasize:

• Enslaved rarely knew day or even year of birth.

• Whipping was used to force the enslaved to work.

• Children fed at trough, as though they were animals.

• Overseers could (at least sometimes) murder enslaved laborers who defied their orders.

• In probate, enslaved individuals had valuation like other forms of property. Author specifically compares enslaved valuations to that of livestock.

Douglass here is building a case for the "dehumanization" of the enslaved, who are treated not as human individuals but rather like animals or other form of property. This way of depriving individuals of their humanity is a frequent element of groups that commit genocidal acts. These hallmarks of genocide can be found in at least one of the other documents in this activity.

This activity should offer students a model for how to read and analyze the other documents.

Activity

• Teacher posts variety of statements on the walls of the classroom (examples below)

  • Generally, these are statements from victims of genocide

  • The statements generally support one of three general theories of genocide

    • Banality of evil

    • Ideology

    • Dehumanization

• Students take first part of period to read statements, then each individual chooses one that seems most compelling to them

• Students cluster near their chosen statement

Discussion

• Students, in the self-selected groups, discuss their statement to de-code it for presentation to the full class

• Student groups then present the key concept of their theory to the full class

• Teacher leads full class discussion that will categorize and give the "official" or scholarly name assigned to the theories

Assessment: Students name the theory they have "specialized" in, providing a shortcut for remembering and understanding the theory for later use.

Ex.: Banality of evil might be called "Just following orders"