Genocide--the deliberate destruction, usually through mass murder, of an ethnic, racial or religious group--is the ultimate crime against humanity. Drawing upon a wide variety of disciplines, this study assesses ways to prevent this crime. While most books about genocide focus on the history of a particular event, such as the Holocaust, or compare case studies to derive empirical theories, this book outlines many practical aspects of genocide prevention.

Heidenrich covers a broad spectrum of expert opinions, from Stanley Hoffmann to Henry Kissinger, as well as political opinions regarding genocide that range from Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton. Topics include international law, humanitarian intervention, early warning measures, and the effectiveness of such methods as diplomacy, economic pressure, and nonviolent resistance. Preventing genocide in a tense socio-political environment is no easy task, but such prevention is easier and more cost-effective than trying to put an end to genocide once it is already occurring.

JOHN G. HEIDENRICH was for two years the Senior Analyst for Genocide and Instability Warning Issues at Open Source Solutions (OSS), Inc. Formerly an analyst with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), he later joined the Institute for Defense & Disarmament Studies (IDDS), a nonprofit think-tank in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he directed its Project on Genocide Prevention. He holds a Master's degree from Harvard University, a Bachelor's degree from The American University in Washington, D.C., and an officers commission in the U.S. Army Reserve. officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, he has served in units associated with military police, military intelligence, Special Forces, armor, and aviation. He is a member of the Association of Genocide Scholars.