Although many prefer to view the modern age as one of progress and enlightenment, it has also witnessed some of history’s worst atrocity crimes; that is crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes. What makes these crimes so horrific is not only their magnitude but also the fact that they were usually carried out by people who can be considered, more or less, to be normal, even banal. Thus, the persistence of atrocity crimes not only challenges the view that moral progress is inevitable but also raises profound questions about the human capacity to inflict suffering on others, even when they are our neighbors. This course will explore several atrocities of the modern era, including slavery in the United States, the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, apartheid in South Africa, the Rwanda genocide, and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. We will first consider the history of these atrocities and the context in which they occurred. We will then look at the contemporaneous responses to these atrocities by communities, nations and the international community. Why has the response more often than not been one of inaction, even in the face of overwhelming evidence of the extent of the crimes being committed? We will also look at the responses to atrocities after the violence has ended, whether through reparation, war crimes tribunals, truth and reconciliation commissions, or no response at all. What should be the goal of a society’s response to an atrocity it, or many of its members, perpetrated? To what extent have particular responses led to a group’s acknowledgment of responsibility? And can acknowledgement pave the way towards reconciliation? Finally, we will look at the complex issue of responsibility and how to apportion responsibility. Can only individuals be held responsible for atrocity crimes? If so, the leaders only or also the followers? Finally, does the idea of collective responsibility have merit and, if so, how does this affect the nature of reparation and acknowledgment? Part history and part group psychology, this course is unique in that it will requires students to reflect on the foundations of their own moral views. Our discussions will animate deeply held assumptions about human nature and human responsibility.