Overview

What causes genocide? Through an examination of four modern genocides - the Native Americans, the Armenians, the Jews and the Rwandan Tutsis - Sabby Sagal formulates a theoretical framework for understanding some of the darkest hours of humanity. Drawing on the scholarship of a range of Marxist psychoanalysts, from the Frankfurt School to Wilhelm Reich, shows how genocides are enacted by social classes or communities that have experienced isolation and denial of human needs, prostration and humiliation at the hands of major historical defeats, or powerlessness. These denials or degradations produce severe reactions: hatred, destructiveness and an impotent rage, which is often projected onto a perceived 'other'. Through close analysis and theorising of the commonalities and differences between recent genocides, Sagal hopes to produce greater understanding of the socio-psychological rationale behind atrocities, in order to prevent recurrences.

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Reviews

Disturbing yet enlightening... The great merit of Sagall's work is that he reveals both the differences and the commonalities that mark the history of genocide. His thesis is that neither a socio-political nor a psychological analysis will suffice, but that a combination of the two is needed. On this basis, Sagall reveals the overarching structures and logics that unite the various events he examines, but also the unique internal history of each episode and the terror lying as its core. -- Kevin Kenny, Professor of History, Boston College Sagall illuminates that hottest button of topics - modern genocide - with a superb investigation that persuasively gives due weight in each instance to the mix of material bases and psychological factors at lethal play. No one has made so cogent a case for a Marxist analysis. Both academic experts and general readers can benefit from this lucid comparative study of the motivations underlying mass murder in the Americas, Nazi-occupied Europe, Armenia, and Rwanda. -- Kurt Jacobsen, University of Chicago, author of 'Pacification and Its Discontents' (2010) and 'Freud's Foes' (2009)

'Disturbing yet enlightening... The great merit of Sagall's work is that he reveals both the differences and the commonalities that mark the history of genocide. His thesis is that neither a socio-political nor a psychological analysis will suffice, but that a combination of the two is needed. On this basis, Sagall reveals the overarching structures and logics that unite the various events he examines, but also the unique internal history of each episode and the terror lying as its core.' -- Kevin Kenny, Professor of History, Boston College 'Sagall illuminates that hottest button of topics - modern genocide - with a superb investigation that persuasively gives due weight in each instance to the mix of matee, Armenia, and Rwanda.rial bases and psychological factors at lethal play. No one has made so cogent a case for a Marxist analysis. Both academic experts and general readers can benefit from this lucid comparative study of the motivations underlying mass murder in the Americas, Nazi-occupied Europe.' -- Kurt Jacobsen, University of Chicago, author of Pacification and Its Discontents (2010) and Freud's Foes (2009) 'Sabby Sagall has written a hugely ambitious book which covers immense historical ground and attempts to answer one of the most challenging historical and theoretical questions of our time.' -- John Molyneux, Irish Marxist Review 'Sabby's daring search for an over-arching theory which encompasses both social and psychological aspects is akin to the physicists' search for a 'general theory , including all matter macro- and microscopic.' -- Donny Gluckstein, Socialist Review 'Sagall reaches farther than many in this field, ambitiously working to uncover the shared psychological states that have resulted in a variety of genocidal events throughout time.' -- Guy Lancaster, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books 'Sabby Sagall asks important questions of psychology, fascism and genocidal murder ... there is much to be gained from his book, particularly his synopses of psychoanalytic thinkers and schools of thought.' -- Andy Ridley, International Socialism

Disturbing yet enlightening... The great merit of Sagall's work is that he reveals both the differences and the commonalities that mark the history of genocide. His thesis is that neither a socio-political nor a psychological analysis will suffice, but that a combination of the two is needed. On this basis, Sagall reveals the overarching structures and logics that unite the various events he examines, but also the unique internal history of each episode and the terror lying as its core. -- Kevin Kenny, Professor of History, Boston College Sagall illuminates that hottest button of topics - modern genocide - with a superb investigation that persuasively gives due weight in each instance to the mix of material bases and psychological factors at lethal play. No one has made so cogent a case for a Marxist analysis. Both academic experts and general readers can benefit from this lucid comparative study of the motivations underlying mass murder in the Americas, Nazi-occupied Europe, Armenia, and Rwanda. -- Kurt Jacobsen, University of Chicago, author of 'Pacification and Its Discontents' (2010) and 'Freud's Foes' (2009) 'Sabby Sagall has written a hugely ambitious book which covers immense historical ground and attempts to answer one of the most challenging historical and theoretical questions of our time.' -- John Molyneux, Irish Marxist Review 'Sabby's daring search for an over-arching theory which encompasses both social and psychological aspects is akin to the physicists' search for a 'general theory , including all matter macro- and microscopic.' -- Donny Gluckstein, Socialist Review 'Sagall reaches farther than many in this field, ambitiously working to uncover the shared psychological states that have resulted in a variety of genocidal events throughout time.' -- Guy Lancaster, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books

'Disturbing yet enlightening' -- Kevin Kenny, Professor of History, Boston College 'Illuminates that hottest button of topics - modern genocide. No one has made so cogent a case for a Marxist analysis' -- Kurt Jacobsen, University of Chicago, author of Pacification and Its Discontents (2010) and Freud's Foes (2009) 'A hugely ambitious book which covers immense historical ground and attempts to answer one of the most challenging historical and theoretical questions of our time' -- John Molyneux, Irish Marxist Review 'Sagall reaches farther than many in this field, ambitiously working to uncover the shared psychological states that have resulted in a variety of genocidal events throughout time' -- Guy Lancaster, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books 'Sabby Sagall asks important questions of psychology, fascism and genocidal murder ... there is much to be gained from his book, particularly his synopses of psychoanalytic thinkers and schools of thought' -- Andy Ridley, International Socialism

'Sabby Sagall asks important questions of psychology, fascism and genocidal murder ... there is much to be gained from his book, particularly his synopses of psychoanalytic thinkers and schools of thought' -- Andy Ridley, International Socialism 'Sagall reaches farther than many in this field, ambitiously working to uncover the shared psychological states that have resulted in a variety of genocidal events throughout time' -- Guy Lancaster, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books 'A hugely ambitious book which covers immense historical ground and attempts to answer one of the most challenging historical and theoretical questions of our time' -- John Molyneux, Irish Marxist Review 'Illuminates that hottest button of topics - modern genocide. No one has made so cogent a case for a Marxist analysis' -- Kurt Jacobsen, University of Chicago, author of Pacification and Its Discontents (2010) and Freud's Foes (2009) 'Disturbing yet enlightening' -- Kevin Kenny, Professor of History, Boston College

Author Information

Sabby Sagall is a former senior lecturer in Sociology at the University of East London. He writes regularly for the Socialist Review and International Socialism.

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