Il civile come vittima: la “riscoperta” della violenza di massa nella riflessione su politica e memoria

According to the estimates of some authors, in the 20th century governments have been responsible for the deaths of over 60 million of people (potentially exceeding 150 million), a number two or even four times higher than the casualties of international and domestic wars. Some specific forms of political violence against individuals (e.g. genocide, politicide) have been extensively explored in Political Science; however, the broader phenomenon of the intentional violence targeting unarmed and noncombatant civilians (both in war and peace) has only recently been conceptualized as a distinct concept referred to as ‘mass violence’. This late conceptualization contrasts with the fact that mass violence has been an enduring feature of the consolidation of state power, impacting millions of individuals throughout history and encompassing ethnic, cultural, social, political diversities. Through a review of recent literature on mass violence, as mass killing, massacre, and genocide, the aim of this article is to point out the features that make ‘mass violence’ conceptually different from other forms of political violence (mass violence is intentional and mass violence is aimed at defenseless civilians, and it is predominantly but not exclusively perpetrated by state actors) and to underline its relevance for both academic and social purposes. In the end, some possible explanations for the late conceptualization of mass violence, such as psychological and political mechanisms of denial, are discussed in a preliminary way.