Genocide has been with us since the beginning of history and is a key element in the study of world history at nearly every level. The most widely studied and catastrophic examples are, however, historically close to the present day: the Nazi Holocaust, "ethnic cleansing" in Bosnia, tribal warfare in Rwanda and more. The Encyclopedia spans the globe to explain the issues behind crimes against humanity and human rights issues as they relate to individual countries and the world at large. It traces the history of events that qualify as genocide and crimes against humanity, profiles perpetrators and heroes, and explains international laws and law proceedings aimed at ending these practices. It also delves into depictions and manifestations of the phenomenon, such as propaganda, sociological and philosophical explanations, literature and film.