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Genocide Scholars Conference: In 2005 To Feature The Armenian Genoci

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  • Genocide Scholars Conference: In 2005 To Feature The Armenian Genoci

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Contact: Richard Kloian, Director
    Armenian Genocide Resource Center
    5400 McBryde Ave, Richmond, CA 94805
    Tel:(510) 965-0152, fax:(510)215-0444
    Email: [email protected]

    Monday May 17, 2004

    GENOCIDE SCHOLARS CONFERENCE
    In 2005 TO FEATURE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

    By Richard Kloian

    The largest international organization devoted to the study of genocide
    has just issued a Call For Papers for its sixth biennial international
    conference in Boca Raton, Florida in 2005, and has announced that
    one of its major themes will be the Armenian Genocide.

    An affiliate of the Institute for the Study of Genocide, the International
    Association of Genocide Scholars was founded in 1994 by Israel
    Charny, Helen Fein, Robert Melson and Roger Smith. The Association
    of more than 200 scholars engages in research and teaching about the
    nature, causes, and consequences of genocide, and advances policy
    studies on the prevention of genocide. It meets biennially to compare
    and share research in the field, discuss specific case studies, important
    new works, links between genocide and gross human rights violations,
    as well as the prevention and punishment of genocide.

    At its second biennial conference in Montreal Canada in June 1997
    the Association issued a unanimous resolution affirming that the
    mass murder of Armenians in Turkey in 1915 was "a case of genocide
    which conforms to the statutes of the United Nations Convention on
    the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide." They further condemned
    "the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish government and
    its official and unofficial agents."

    Many of the genocide scholars have published books and articles with
    a major emphasis on the genocide and their works have become standards
    in the field. A number have had to deal directly with state sponsored
    genocide denial head on, especially as related to the Armenian Genocide.

    Colin Tatz, Director of the Australian Institute for Holocaust
    and Genocide Studies, in his 2003 book "With Intent to Destroy"
    discusses Turkish denial and relates his personal encounters with
    the Turkish Ambassador who attempted unsuccessfully to get him
    to stop teaching his course on the Politics of Genocide because the
    Armenian Genocide was emphasized. In his book he relates a
    number of such encounters and discusses the influence of the
    Turkish "denial machine" and its consequences.

    In August 2000, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that Helen
    Fein, whose works are standards in the sociology of genocide, revealed
    that the editors of Microsoft Encarta asked her to revise her entry on the
    Armenian Genocide to include "the other side of the story" and to remove
    the word "genocide," which she resisted successfully. It was revealed that
    they were bowing to pressure from the Turkish Embassy in Washington.
    But such attempts only galvanizes scholars devoted to their work and
    reinforces the need for teaching about genocide.

    The current President of the Association, Robert Melson, has produced
    numerous key articles on the Armenian Genocide and his book,
    "Revolution and Genocide - On The Origins of the Armenian Genocide
    and the Holocaust" stands as a major contribution to the field. The Vice
    President of the Association, Dr. Israel Charny, in 1999, as Editor-in-Chief,
    oversaw the publication of the first ever Encyclopedia of Genocide, now
    used as a major reference source throughout the world and now available
    on the web as an E-Book in which the Armenian Genocide has a major
    emphasis along with the Holocaust.

    At the last IAGS International Conference in Galway Ireland in 2003,
    many papers and presentations discussed the Armenian Genocide,
    which, as a separate field of study, has been drawing more interest
    by specialists in the field over the years.

    The text of the IAGS Press Release follows:

    The Sixth Biennial Conference of The International Association of
    Genocide Scholars (IAGS) will be held at Florida Atlantic University,
    Boca Raton Florida, USA, June 4-7, 2005. In its Call For Papers, the
    IAGS announces the general theme of the conference: "NINETY YEARS
    AFTER THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND SIXTY YEARS AFTER
    THE HOLOCAUST: THE CONTINUING THREAT AND LEGACY
    OF GENOCIDE."

    "Following the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust it was believed
    that "never again" would genocide be allowed to occur. However, events
    in Cambodia, former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and for indigenous peoples
    in other parts of the world, have demonstrated the continuing threat of
    genocide. These have left survivors, perpetrators, bystanders, and
    rescuers, and the world community confronting the legacy of
    mass-murder and extermination."

    The International Association of Genocide Scholars welcomes proposals
    for scholarly papers and sessions dealing with a variety of related
    themes such as those below. All proposals are due by January 15, 2005.

    Participation in conferences and panels is vetted and open only to
    registered members. Membership in the IAGS is open to scholars,
    graduate students, and other interested persons any place in the world
    who address the study and prevention of genocide using scholarly
    methods in good faith in the pursuit of truth. For membership
    information please email Dr. Steven Jacobs at: [email protected].

    Themes of the Sixth Biennial IAGS conference

    I. The origins of and accountability for the Armenian Genocide
    and/or the Holocaust.

    II. The legacy of the Armenian Genocide and/or the Holocaust
    for survivors, perpetrators, bystanders, and the world community,
    including international law and organizations.

    III. The origins of and accountability for genocides in Cambodia,
    former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and for indigenous peoples.

    IV. The legacy of genocide in Cambodia, former Yugoslavia,
    Rwanda and for indigenous peoples, and for the world
    community, including international law and organizations.

    V. The denial of genocide.

    VI. The representation of genocide in literature, art, film, and music.

    VII. Commemoration, restitution, and reconciliation.

    VIII. Identification of endangered communities and the prevention
    of genocide.

    "Participants should submit a brief (no more than one page) abstract
    and a short resume (no more than one page), indicating which of the
    eight themes their paper addresses. Scholars are encouraged to assemble
    a group of papers as a theme panel, but participation by individuals is
    limited to no more than two (2) panels in the role of presenter,
    discussant, or chair."

    Please send two hard copies and email attachments in Microsoft Word
    of abstracts, resumes, and proposals for panels to Dr. Stephen Feinstein,
    Director, Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, College of
    Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0125,
    USA. Tel: 612-626-2235. [email protected]

    All proposals are due by January 15, 2005. For more information
    on the 2005 conference, past conferences, the organization and its
    work, individuals are encouraged to visit the IAGS web site at:
    http://www.isg-iags.org/, or they can send emails to: [email protected]
    .
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