Lessons from the past should inform decisions about how to prevent mass atrocities in the present. Though much research has drawn lessons from past atrocity situations, rarely are these lessons organized into a useful resource for policy makers.

The Simon-Skjodt Center’s ongoing research project, “Lessons Learned in Preventing and Responding to Mass Atrocities,” seeks to organize the existing research on different policy tools into a dynamic and usable resource for policy makers working to prevent mass atrocities. Where there are gaps in scholarly understanding, the project aims to highlight and fill them through retrospective case studies of past policy responses to atrocities.

Outcomes of the project will include an accessible resource for policy makers, retrospective case study reports, and recommendations for policy makers on how to incorporate the use of lessons-learned in decision making.

Selected Reading

• A rapporteur's report (PDF) from a workshop soliciting feedback from scholars and practitioners on the project, by Alexandra Hall.
• Project description (PDF)