Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2024 -

In Genocide, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine, Bartov (Brown Univ.), one of the leading scholars of the Holocaust, provides an important reassessment of how the Holocaust is studied. He considers how to redefine the Holocaust in relation to genocide studies, noting "the tensions between Holocaust and genocide studies, which have repeatedly both enriched and clashed with each other" (p. 2). One central theme is the neglected importance by historians of individual testimony within the context of local history, which Bartov argues is important for "grasping the nature of mass murder" (p. 2). He also considers the role of legal discourse in either revealing or obscuring complicity. Finally, there is an in-depth examination of how the Holocaust has impacted the origins of the Israel-Palestine conflict. This is a crucial new addition to both Holocaust and genocide research. It is highly readable for both specialized and lay readers interested in studying the Holocaust.Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, advanced undergraduates through faculty, and professionals.