What is the role of ideology in promoting genocide?

Genocide And Human Rights Questions



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What is the role of ideology in promoting genocide?

The role of ideology in promoting genocide is significant. Ideology can serve as a powerful tool for justifying and mobilizing support for the systematic destruction of a particular group based on their perceived differences. It provides a framework that dehumanizes the targeted group, portraying them as a threat to the dominant ideology or as inferior beings. Ideological beliefs, such as racial superiority, religious extremism, or ethnic nationalism, can be manipulated to create a sense of collective identity and unity among the perpetrators, making it easier to recruit and organize individuals to carry out acts of genocide. Additionally, ideology can also help legitimize and normalize the violence and atrocities committed during genocide, as it provides a distorted moral justification for the extermination of the targeted group.