Module manager: Dr Lorna Waddington
Email: l.l.waddington@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
You will examine critical case studies of genocide and mass atrocities from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Current case studies include: settler genocides, the Herero genocide, the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Guatemala, Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia. You will analyse truth commission reports, international investigations, and scholarly debates to explore how historical narratives of genocide and mass violence are constructed, contested, and remembered. You will engage critically with primary and secondary sources, developing sophisticated understanding of the complexities surrounding documentation, accountability, and historical interpretation. This module is particularly suited if you are interested in genocide studies, human rights history, transitional justice, or historical memory. It will develop your advanced research, analytical, and communication skills through engagement with challenging historical material and historiographical debates. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module
The module aims to develop your critical engagement with primary sources documenting genocide and mass atrocities, and your ability to apply theoretical frameworks including Stanton's 10 stages and Verdeja's 5 contributing factors to historical case studies. Through weekly seminars, you will discuss and debate contested historical narratives, exploring the political, social, and ethical dimensions of investigating mass violence. The teaching is designed to build your confidence in working independently with challenging primary materials whilst fostering collaborative discussion of difficult topics. The assessment enables you to demonstrate depth of research and analytical rigour across the range of case studies and theories covered, whilst developing your collaborative skills and ability to communicate complex historical ideas effectively. Together, these activities are structured to prepare you for advanced historical research appropriate to Level 3 study
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically evaluate and interpret diverse primary sources on genocides, including truth commission reports and international investigations, to construct historically grounded analyses.
2. Analyse and compare major historiographical debates surrounding the documentation, interpretation, and remembrance of twentieth-century genocides.
3. Develop well-evidenced historical arguments that address the complexities of mass violence, contested narratives, accountability, and historical memory.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Conduct independent historical research by locating, analysing, and synthesising relevant primary and secondary sources while demonstrating academic integrity and correct referencing.
2. Communicate complex historical arguments effectively in written and oral formats, demonstrating clarity, critical analysis, and appropriate use of evidence.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Seminar | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Private study hours | 179.6 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20.4 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Essay One: You will have the opportunity to discuss your essay plan in group meetings. Students may also use my office hours to seek individual feedback on their essay plans or ideas.
Essay Two: Formative feedback is embedded throughout the module via weekly seminar discussions of theoretical concepts and case studies (including key primary sources). The final seminar will focus explicitly on preparation for Essay 2, including comparative analysis and the use of primary sources. Students may also seek individual formative feedback on essay plans or ideas during office hours.
In addition, summative feedback on Essay One is designed to feed forward into students’ approach to Essay Two, supporting reflection on strengths and areas for improvement in relation to argumentation, structure, and use of evidence.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay One | 40 |
| Coursework | Essay Two | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team