FORMS OF DEHUMANIZATION OF SOLDIERS IN THE FILM IM WESTEN NICHTS NEUES (2022)

Abstract

Dehumanization is the act of treating individuals by stripping them of their human attributes. Dehumanization is divided into two forms: animalistic dehumanization and mechanistic dehumanization. This study aims to analyze the forms of dehumanization represented in the film Im Westen nichts Neues (2022). The film depicts the impact of war on humanity through the experiences of young German soldiers at the end of World War I. The study employs a qualitative descriptive approach using content analysis of scenes, dialogue, and visual elements that demonstrate dehumanization practices. Data were analyzed by identifying forms of dehumanization based on Nick Haslam’s (2006) theory, and data were collected through observation and documentation techniques. The results indicate that mechanistic dehumanization is more dominant than bestial dehumanization. The dominance of mechanistic dehumanization suggests that individuals in the study are more frequently treated as tools, objects, or machines whose existence is evaluated solely based on their function and utility. This study concludes that the film Im Westen nichts Neues (2022) portrays war as a system that systematically strips away human values and transforms people into instruments of political and military interests.