Genocide in failed states: Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979) and Bosnia after the dissolution of Yugoslavia (1992-1995)

Abstract

The objective of this research is to analyse two historical instances of genocide, Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 and Bosnia from 1992 to 1995, and to establish the existence of commonalities, differences and patterns between the two cases. A comparative effort was made to ascertain a connection between genocides and failed states, a concept that designates that states that share certain characteristics, such as social disorder, political turmoil and weak democratic institutions, among others, can be considered to have failed. In general, the internationally accepted designation of genocide that is employed in a 1948 United Nations resolution and the ideas concerning failed states written by Gerald B. Helman, Steven R. Ratner and Francis Fukuyama were used. The research is divided into four chapters that were written in a way to better explain the theories and concepts used, with a theoretical analysis of genocide and failed states in the first, an historical portion in the second and third and a comparative analysis in the final chapter.