Renowned Genocide Scholars Commit to Teach at the 2007 Genocide and Human Rights University Program

Toronto, Canada— Students attending a comprehensive, two-week program this summer will be taught by twelve renowned genocide scholars from the disciplines of anthropology, history, sociology, philosophy, political science, and international law. The Genocide and Human Rights University Program (GHRUP) explores the causes, methods, and effects of genocide through a comparative examination of major case studies, using the Armenian Genocide as the point of reference.

“Having face to face exposure with faculty from a variety of disciplines, universities and countries allows the students a very holistic understanding of the phenomenon of genocide,“ said Prof. Roger W. Smith, GHRUP Director. “During the program, students and faculty form a solid basis for further interaction and cooperation. I will be pleased this summer to see our tradition of developing a new generation of scholars to engage in genocide research and publication, as well as creating an academic-level support system, continue to grow,” he concluded.

The faculty of the 2007 program will be: Rouben Adalian, Director, the Armenian National Institute; Taner Akçam, Visiting Associate Prof. of History, University of Minnesota; Joyce A. Apsel, Master Teacher, New York University; Elazar Barkan, Prof. of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University; Doris L. Bergen, the Chancellor Rose and Ray Wolfe Chair in Holocaust Studies, University of Toronto; Wendy C. Hamblet, Prof. of Philosophy, Dominican University; Maureen S. Hiebert, Research Fellow, the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, University of Calgary; Alex Hinton, Associate Prof. of Anthropology and Global Affairs, Rutgers University; Herbert Hirsch, Prof. of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University; William A. Schabas, Director, Irish Human Rights Centre, National University of Ireland; Roger W. Smith, Prof. Emeritus, College of William and Mary; and Scott Straus, Assistant Prof. of Political Science, University of Wisconsin.

“This summer in Toronto, Canada from July 30-August 10, 2007, a diverse group of highly motivated students will gather for the intensive seminar,” stated Torrey Swan, Program Coordinator of the GHRUP. “Over the past five years students have attended from 19 different countries. They have been of Argentinean, Armenian, Azeri, Bengali, Cambodian, Colombian, Chinese, Croatian, English, Estonian, French, German, Hungarian, Indian, Iranian, Irish, Japanese, Jewish, Kurdish, Moldovan, Nepalese, Polish, Romanian, Rwandan, Scottish, Tanzanian and Turkish descent. Many of the students have expressed how profoundly the two weeks changed them, expanded their understanding and increased their motivation for genocide and human rights studies.”

The program will appeal to a wide variety of students interested in various cases of genocide, as well as the broader issues of human rights. Applicants must be current university students with three years or more of undergraduate experience. Scholarships are available for qualified students. Deadline for application is May 31, 2007.

Details and registration information, as well as the faculty biographies, are available on the program's web site, www.genocidestudies.org. For more information, contact the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute), 416-250-9807, admin@genocidestudies.org.