Political philosopher Hannah Arendt coined the phrase "the banality of evil" to explain the psychology of Nazis who killed Jews during the Holocaust. In the ensuing years the world has witnessed many other instances of political atrocities, including genocide. This lesson examines one such atrocity: the mass killings of communists and other political opponents, as well as civilians, in 1965-66 Indonesia. It introduces the events in Indonesia through an unprecedented film, The Act of Killing, in which leaders of the death squads recount their own stories. This provides an excellent opportunity for students to consider whether or not Arendt's concept still applies.

Video clips provided with this lesson are from the highly acclaimed and controversial Academy Award®-nominated film, The Act of Killing.

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