Suchergebnisse

Victimology is developing increasingly more understanding of genocide, considering different perspectives, such as, but not limited to, sociological, psychological, and cultural approaches. Nevertheless, the existential perspective on genocide has hardly been integrated into victimological explorations of genocide. This contribution will consider existentialism as a useful paradigm for victimology to frame genocide as an existential act. It will be argued that victimology ought to explore several key existential dimensions of genocide by looking at survival of nothingness, the human origin of genocide, and the devastating effects of genocide laws and regulations to shape a new understanding of genocidal victimhood. In doing so, this chapter shall consider the strong yet long denied link between existentialism, victimology, and genocide. Then it will review to which extent genocide is existential destruction and its consequences for surviving such destruction, followed by a critical consideration of the politico-legal concept of genocide. The chapter will conclude by suggesting (genealogical) ways towards an existentialist victimology of genocide.

This article explores the (passive) role of the Dutch government in the CIA extraordinary rendition flights (ERFs), also known as "torture flights". It shows why researching ERFs, as a crime of the powerful, is inherently problematic. Afterward, a concise overview follows of European involvement in ERFs and reluctance to investigate them. The article then considers the (known) facts and legal responsibility of the Netherlands regarding the ERFs, concluding with a discussion of the Dutch political discourse of denial of ERF involvement. The main argument is that the discourse of ERF denial fits and reflects the colonial present in which the Dutch government resides, concealing its darkest pages in history while hiding behind its contemporary (political) culture of tolerance and progressiveness.