Investigating Mass Violence

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Field Investigation of Mass Violence and War Crimes: Methods, Practices and Case Studies This course provides an in-depth introduction to field investigation methods used in the study of mass violence, war crimes, and genocide. It is substantially grounded in more than twenty-five years of investigative work conducted by Yahad In Unum, particularly its research on the mass shootings of Jews and Roma in Eastern Europe between 1941 and 1944, carried out by Einsatzgruppen and local collaborators.The course trains students in the practical conduct of investigations in contexts shaped by extreme violence, while fostering critical reflection on the ethical, cultural, and legal challenges inherent to such research. Core case studies also include investigations into crimes committed during the Guatemalan internal armed conflict (1960–1996), crimes perpetrated by Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq, and ongoing investigations into violence against civilian populations in Ukraine within a highly contested wartime environment. A central component of the course focuses on interview techniques with witnesses, survivors, perpetrators, and individuals situated in so-called “grey zones.” Particular attention is given to investigations of sexual violence, the management of trauma and silence, and the practice of returning to crime scenes. Students are also introduced to the progressive construction of sources, the assessment of testimonial reliability, ballistic analysis, spatial reconstruction of crimes, and the use of cartographic tools.The course concludes with a critical examination of the differences, overlaps, and tensions between academic research, journalistic investigation, and judicial inquiry.