The Holodomor: Expressing the Inexpressible

The Holodomor was a genocide perpetrated by the Soviet Union in the 1930s that took the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, the Holodomor is largely unknown in the United States. Moreover, there is a general lack of knowledge about genocide among broad audiences in the U.S., leading many Americans to believe that genocides are uncommon in the modern world. Therefore, it is necessary to stimulate awareness, discussion, and empathy around the theme of genocide.

In this paper, I offer an analysis of the potential challenges of communicating about genocide to a broad audience. I propose a design intervention framework that advocates visual communication as a powerful tool to encourage discussions around the theme of genocide by developing a deep connection between the audience and the victims. This has the potential to inspire the audience to make conscious decisions that contribute to social justice.