REVIEWER 1 - COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
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**Review of "THE SPECTATOR'S CONSCIENCE: INDIFFERENCE FROM AUSCHWITZ TO GAZA"**

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### **Step 1. Summary of the Paper**

This paper develops the concept of "procedural absolution"—a mechanism whereby institutional discourse around genocide, particularly regarding Palestine, uses definitional debates and bureaucratic language to create moral distance and justify inaction. The authors argue that the very act of questioning whether genocide is occurring becomes a tool for its perpetuation. Through critical analysis of institutional rhetoric and media representations, the paper traces how discourse oscillates between acknowledging complexity and imposing closure through technical language that rationalizes erasure. The central claim is that modern institutional frameworks transform moral witnessing into procedural formalism, sustaining indifference through sophisticated epistemological detachment.

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### **Step 2. Evaluation Criteria**

#### **1. Originality / Novelty**
- **Score: 7/10**
- **Critique:** The concept of "procedural absolution" builds upon established theories (Arendt, Bauman, Butler) but offers a novel synthesis applied to contemporary genocide discourse. The extension of "banality of evil" and "grievability" to institutional language in the Palestinian context is moderately innovative. However, the core argument—that definitional debates enable inaction—has precedents in critical genocide studies (e.g., Meiches, Shaw). The paper's originality lies in its specific framing of proceduralism as a mechanism of moral evasion, though it stops short of groundbreaking theoretical innovation.

#### **2. Scientific Rigor / Methodology**
- **Score: 4/10**
- **Critique:** The methodology is entirely theoretical/philosophical, with no empirical data, case studies, or systematic discourse analysis. The paper relies on selective references to support its claims without rigorous engagement with counterarguments or alternative frameworks. For instance, it dismisses legal precision as inherently distancing without addressing its necessity for accountability. The analysis of "institutional rhetoric" lacks specificity—which institutions? What specific discourses? The absence of methodological transparency undermines its scholarly credibility.

#### **3. Clarity & Presentation**
- **Score: 6/10**
- **Critique:** The writing is dense and often abstract, with excessive jargon ("epistemology of detachment," "discursive deferral"). While structurally sound, the argument would benefit from concrete examples to illustrate "procedural absolution" in action. The abstract accurately reflects the paper's claims, but the conclusion overstates its contributions (e.g., "radical changes in how institutions approach genocide"). No figures/tables are included, which is acceptable for a theoretical piece, but the prose could be more accessible.

#### **4. Reproducibility & Transparency**
- **Score: 3/10**
- **Critique:** The paper provides no methodological details or data/code availability. Its theoretical claims are not falsifiable or replicable, as they rely on interpretive assertions rather than systematic analysis. References are adequate but used selectively to support predetermined conclusions. Statistical analysis is absent, and the lack of empirical grounding makes it impossible to evaluate the robustness of its claims.

#### **5. Significance & Impact**
- **Score: 5/10**
- **Critique:** The topic is timely and important, addressing how language shapes responses to atrocities. However, the paper's impact is limited by its abstract nature and failure to engage with practical implications for policymakers, legal bodies, or activists. Experts in critical theory may find it stimulating, but its relevance to genocide studies or human rights practice is undermined by methodological weaknesses. The potential for field-changing impact is low.

#### **6. Ethics & Integrity**
- **Score: 6/10**
- **Critique:** No overt ethical breaches (e.g., plagiarism) are detected, but the paper's one-sided engagement with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict risks politicizing scholarship without adequate balance. The authors acknowledge limitations (e.g., Western theoretical bias) but do not address how this affects their analysis. Conflicts of interest are not disclosed, and the paper's normative stance may compromise objectivity.

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### **Step 3. Specific Suggestions for Improvement**

#### **Major Flaws:**
1. **Empirical Deficit:** The paper must incorporate concrete case studies or discourse analysis (e.g., UN debates, media coverage) to demonstrate "procedural absolution" empirically.
2. **Methodological Vagueness:** Clarify how "institutional discourse" was selected and analyzed. Specify whether qualitative/quantitative methods were used.
3. **Engagement with Counterarguments:** Address why legal precision might be necessary for genocide prevention and how "procedural absolution" differs from legitimate deliberation.
4. **Contextual Balance:** Acknowledge alternative perspectives on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to avoid polemicism.

#### **Minor Flaws:**
- Reduce jargon and improve readability (e.g., define "discursive deferral" clearly).
- Correct formatting issues (e.g., inconsistent citation style, typographical errors in references).
- Strengthen the conclusion by outlining specific, actionable recommendations for institutions.

#### **Additional Analyses:**
- Compare "procedural absolution" in other cases (e.g., Rwanda, Myanmar) to test its generalizability.
- Include interviews with practitioners in human rights organizations to ground theoretical claims.
- Analyze how social media challenges or reinforces procedural absolution, as suggested in the Future Work section.

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### **Step 4. Final Decision & Justification**

- **Overall Score: 5/10**
- **Recommendation: Reject**
- **Justification:** While the paper addresses a significant topic and introduces a potentially useful concept ("procedural absolution"), its methodological flaws are fatal for a high-impact journal. The lack of empirical support, opaque methodology, and overreliance on theoretical assertions render its arguments speculative rather than evidence-based. The politicized framing without balanced engagement further undermines its scholarly rigor. For these reasons, the manuscript is not acceptable in its current form. If the authors address the major flaws through empirical analysis and methodological transparency, a resubmission might be considered.