GAL-Question #9
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
How can we reconcile contrasts and comparisons between the Holocaust and other genocides?
GAL-Question #8
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
How do we go about healing a genocidal world? How should we deal with the Armenian genocide? What should the international community do to preserve its memory?
GAL-Question #7
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
Is the study of genocide bolstered or hampered by the ethno-religious attachments of the individuals who would study genocides? That is, do particular nationalistic affiliations render genocide studies hopelessly subjective? Does scholarly rigor and political effectiveness require a kind of universalistic detachment from ethno-religious affiliation?
GAL-Question #6
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
Thinking about genocides not as “volcanic” episodes, but as “landscapes”: What are the conditions that characterize colonial societies? Within such societies, what conditions give rise to the ethnic violence that commands popular attention? In nations such as Rwanda–nations wracked by racist colonization–how is the “landscape” distorted such that the Hutus could develop such vengeful, bitter hatred for the Tutsis?
GAL-Question #5
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
What steps can we take toward a new definition or a new way to intervene with genocide?
GAL-Question #4
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
Prof. Bloxham stated that the Holocaust has become “the model of genocide.” In that same vein, would he maybe consider that the Holocaust is used as a crutch when people look at genocides today?
GAL-Question #3
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the audience:
Prof. Bloxham’s criticism of legal conceptualizations of genocide (Narrow definitions; crude typeologies; impoverished bi-polar analysis, etc.) were well taken. But is not some technical form of conceptualization necessary before states can take action? The talk of “Response-Based Conceptualizations” aside, how can we proceed without working models of definition at the outset of all inquiries?
GAL-Question #2
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
Question from the Lecture:
As a descendant of Armenian chldren that survived the Armenian genocide it is frustrating that the United States does not recognize the Armenian Genocide. Also, other countries whose descendants have experienced genocide similarly do not acknowledge that the Armenian genocide happened.
This is very upsetting and wrong. Why is this denied when it is an historical fact?
GAL–Question #1
Oct 29th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
From the Audience questions:
Where hatred tips to murder, organized and planned is the crisis moment. What commonalities exist in crisis moments when those in power are so threatened that annihilation is the best program?
2nd Annual Genocide Awareness Lecture
Oct 28th, 2008 by Margaret Barney
On October 27th, 2008 the Cohen Center presented the 2nd annual Genocide Awareness Lecture. Professor Donald Bloxham of the University of Edinburgh spoke on the topic of Genocides in Comparitive Perspective: Does the Holocaust Fit?
Following Prof. Bloxham’s thought-provoking lecture, three students, each pursuing a minor in Holocaust Studies, joined Prof. Bloxham, Dr. Paul Vincent and Dr. Hank Knight in a continuing discussion of the topic. Audience members were invited to submit questions for the panel to discuss.
While not all questions could be discussed within the time frame of the program, we will be publishing each question submitted in order to encourage our readers to engage in a continuing ‘virtual discussion’ kicked off by the lecture.