Examining Moral Decision-Making During Genocide: Rescue in the Case of 1994 Rwanda

Abstract

In this chapter, we draw from the case study of rescue during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to theorize moral decision-making in contexts of mass atrocity. We provide an overview of a core debate regarding the relative influence of internal motivations and external opportunities in shaping rescue behaviors. Recognizing that individuals often explain both rescue and perpetration during genocide in moral terms—and given that some people who rescued also committed violence—we suggest integrating emerging evidence from studies about rescue with existing knowledge regarding the perpetration of violence to develop more holistic models that account for the complexity of individual behavior during genocide. Based on this review, we suggest a starting point for a more comprehensive model to explain moral decision-making during genocide. We conclude by exploring some of the implications of this working model for contemporary atrocity prevention and transitional justice processes.