Srebrenica: Lessons Learned and Unlearned
Srebrenica: Lessons Learned and Unlearned

Author(s): Benjamin Valentino
Subject(s): Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Inter-Ethnic Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Wars in Jugoslavia
Published by: Institut za istraživanje zločina protiv čovječnosti i međunarodnog prava Univerziteta u Sarajevu
Keywords: Srebrenica; mass atrocities; genocide; “ethnic cleansing”; atrocity prevention; international intervention; refugee protection;
Summary/Abstract: This chapter reexamines the Srebrenica genocide as a key case for understanding mass atrocities in the post–Cold War era. Rather than offering a detailed narrative, it distills broader lessons and situates them within the wider context of 1990s conflicts, including the Rwandan genocide. Valentino argues that, despite advances in scholarship, these lessons have not been consistently applied in policy and prevention efforts. The chapter highlights four core insights: the persistent failure to anticipate atrocities; the integration of mass violence into wartime strategy, particularly in campaigns of “ethnic cleansing”; the limitations of “ancient hatreds” explanations in accounting for such violence; and the ineffectiveness of international measures such as sanctions, peacekeeping, and legal accountability when not backed by credible force.It concludes by emphasizing refugee protection as a crucial, though often overlooked, means of saving lives during mass violence. Overall, the chapter underscores the gap between knowledge and practice, showing how the lessons of Srebrenica remain only partially learned.

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