Since 2002, the Zoryan Institute has run an intensive summer course, The Genocide and Human Rights University Program (GHRUP), which intends to provide university students with a conceptual understanding of the genocide that afflicts our century. Now in its 5th year the program has seen more than a hundred students and interested people coming from all over the world and graduating from the accredited course given by the world’s foremost authorities in the field.

Students interested in genocide and related studies have a chance to deepen their knowledge of the subject and interact with students and scholars this summer in Toronto, July 31-August 11, 2006.

For more about the course and its objectives Torontohye had an interview with George Shirinian, director of Zoryan and the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, a division of Zoryan Institute.

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The Genocide and Human Rights University Program was developed five years ago to “fill a gap is the traditional university curriculum.” What do you mean by this and what have you accomplished during this time?

As far back as 1985, the Zoryan Institute’s Academic Board of Directors envisioned the need for a university-level course on the Armenian genocide. Since then, with Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor, and now Darfur, it became increasingly clear that there was a strong and growing interest in the world about the phenomenon of genocide as a political tool and its relationship to the gross violation of human rights. Despite all of this, there was still scarcely any coverage of these subjects in any university’s curriculum, except for the Holocaust, particularly in a comparative manner. By 2001, the circumstances were right for developing a course to address these subjects. Some of the foremost experts in the field were either on Zoryan’s Board or were associates of the Institute. At the same time, the enthusiasm and willingness to devote the necessary time were offered to us by individuals who made up the Program Development and Curriculum Development Committees: Prof. Varouj Aivazian of the University of Toronto, Taner Akçam of the University of Minnesota, Prof. Yair Auron of the Open University of Israel, Prof. Prof. Vahakn Dadrian, the Director of Genocide Research at the Zoryan Institute, Arsinée Khanjian, Prof. Solo Nigosian of the University of Toronto, Lena Sarkissian, Prof. Lorne Shirinian of the Royal Military College, Prof. Shaké Toukmanian of York University, and, of course, the staff.

The idea for the course was so natural and the first year so successful that in 2003, Prof. Stephen Feinstein, Director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis asked to run the program there at the same time. The U of M has provided official accreditation to the program in both cities ever since. Today, well over 100 students have graduated. Perhaps most importantly, a good number of them are pursuing graduate and doctoral studies in genocide and a few of them in the Armenian Genocide, which is one of the prime objectives of the program.
The International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, A Division of the Zoryan Institute, was created specifically to partner with places of higher learning, such as the University of Minnesota, and to implement the program elsewhere.

During these formative years you have expanded the scope of the program, making it more inclusive and comparative. What was your aim?

The course has indeed been inclusive and comparative since its founding, however, we have continued to fine tune it over the years. The Armenian Genocide is used as a point of reference, as the first genocide of the modern era, because scholars have identified it is the archetypical case of a government attempting to annihilate its own citizens. It, along with other case studies, such as the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, and the Former Yugoslavia, are compared to one another from the perspective of different disciplines, such as history, sociology, political science and international law. In addition, other case studies and special themes are rotated in and out each year to be inclusive and keep the course fresh. For example, last year we introduced the case of the Indigenous Peoples of North America as a case of genocide.

In this way, common elements and patterns can be observed. This gives scholars the ability to predict the conditions by which genocide may occur. Once we have the ability to predict, then we have the potential of being able to prevent genocide.
Genocide continues to happen even now and could happen again to us, if we are not knowledgeable and alert to its signals; therefore, it is extremely important that Armenians educate their younger generations about this subject.

How do you think Armenians specifically would benefit from this program?

For Armenians particularly, the program is a special opportunity to learn about the Armenian Genocide in some detail within a global context, understand why it happened, how it happened, and if it can happen again. They should understand how this conflict impacts them personally, collectively, and its place in modern history. The Armenian diaspora is a product of genocide and therefore it has a huge influence on diasporan Armenians. It is crucial that Armenian youth understand where we are as a nation today, how we got there and how we may chart our future. Such knowledge is essential to be able to make informed decisions about how we can resolve the conflict with Turkey, which impacts Armenia’s relationship with its neighbours, and its security.

We know university students completing the program in either Minneapolis or Toronto can receive four graduate level credits from the University of Minnesota. How else can a student benefit from the course?

Yes, the program is officially accredited by the University of Minnesota, and students have the opportunity of receiving up to four graduate level semester credits. Each student’s local university translates the U of M’s credits according to its own system. For example, York University gives its students three credits for our two-week course.

Interestingly, the majority of students do not take the course for credit. Many students have genocide as a part of their national heritage, either as a victim or perpetrator. For example, we have had seven Turks in the program over the years and one German, as well as three Rwandans. Some students attend out of personal interest, while others do so because they wish to work in the field of human rights for a non-governmental organization (NGO) or political action groups. For example, the ANCC and the Armenian Assembly of America have both sponsored a few of their members to attend, though I wish there would be more. There are other participants who are no longer students, but practicing lawyers, teachers and university professors, and wish to strengthen their knowledge in this vital subject.

One thing is for sure, all who have been through the program have found it to be extremely informative, as well as a deeply moving and personally rewarding experience.

You mentioned the number of graduates overall. Can we talk about the make-up of the students who have attended the program?

The students are fascinating group. Coming from some 15 countries they have been of Armenian, Azeri, Bengali, Colombian, Chinese, Croatian, English, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Indian, Iranian, Irish, Japanese, Kurdish, Moldovan, Polish, Rwandan, Scottish, Tanzanian and Turkish descent. They come from all disciplines—last year for the first time we even had two religion students—and are selected for being the being students at every educational level: undergraduate, MA and PhD. Some—the Rwandans—have first-hand experience with genocide, having lost family members. They bring a special dynamic to the class. Suddenly, Armenians see that their genocide is not 90 years old, but is as real and alive as that of the Rwandans.

After being together for these two weeks you would be amazed at the bonds of friendship that form. I have seen with my own eyes Armenian, Azeri and Turkish students become friends at the end of the course; this gives me great hope for the future.

You invite some of the world’s foremost experts to teach the course. What kind of synergy has been created through the interaction between student and scholar throughout the years?

One of the aspects of the program which makes it so unique is the fact that we have together, in one room, at any given time, some of the most brilliant thinkers in genocide studies. I still laugh when I remember that one of the students described her experience as being with “the rock stars of genocide studies.” So there is definitely a sense of excitement and awe as the students get to enter into in-depth discussions with these scholars, whose books they have read and been influence by.

For example, we have Vahakn Dadrian, the world’s foremost authority on the Armenian Genocide; Roger Smith, one of the pioneers of the field of genocide studies and a founder of the International Association of Genocide Scholars; William Schabas, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland and the author of the standard text on Genocide in International Law; Brent Beardsley, who was General Dallaire’s staff liaison officer with the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Rwanda and an eyewitness during the genocide there; Eric Markusen, who was part of the US fact-finding mission on genocide in Darfur in 2004. There are so many more—this year we have 12 instructors for the 10-day course—that it’s a shame there isn’t time to list them all.

Professors often take a great interest in the students’ future aspirations and are more than pleased when students stay in touch. They love being challenged by these knowledgeable and highly motivated students. There is also a synergy amongst the teachers, who sometimes hold panel discussions and otherwise comment on each others’ presentations in class, during which new observations and ideas sometimes emerge unexpectedly.

Finally, I should mention the incredible synergy among students. It is very exciting to see students debate and argue passionately with the professors and one another over deep and sometimes unanswerable questions. As a result of all this built up energy, the students are charged to go out into the world and do something positive to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity.

Where would you like to see the course in five years?

We have come a long way in the past five years, starting from scratch and now running on two university campuses with accreditation. In the future we would very much like to see the program adopted into the regular curriculum of universities in Canada, the United States, across Europe, and especially in Armenia and Turkey, where discussions are already taking place. We are hopeful that this program will become a prelude to a full PhD program in Armenia in Turkish-Armenian Studies and Contemporary Armenian Studies, where genocide and diaspora studies will make up a major component.

I should mention that apart from this course, in order to expand awareness of the phenomenon of genocide and its prevention, the Institute has entered into a partnership with the prestigious International Association of Genocide Scholars and the distinguished University of Toronto Press to publish a new academic periodical titled, Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal, which will serve as a forum for the publication of original research and communication among scholars. This project is so critical and the need so immense that the journal will have not one but four editors, who are leaders in the field, headed by Prof. Israel Charny. These are Professors Alex Alvarez, Herbert Hirsh, Eric Markusen, and Samuel Totten.

When will this journal be coming out and how can we get hold of a copy?

The first issue is expected in June of this year. The second issue, due out in September, will be a special number devoted to the Armenian Genocide. If people are interested, they can contact me at the Zoryan office, admin@genocidestudies.org.

Where does the money to fund such programs come from?

Obviously these programs are very large, elaborate and costly undertakings. They could not be run on a for-profit basis. We are working with the most distinguished scholars, who are very selective where they give their time and commitment. The cost of such scholars to be our faculty, travel, accommodations, honoraria, equipment, copyright for readings, teaching materials, dormitories, accreditation, classroom, etc., is over $100,000 per campus for just a two-week course. Tuitions cover only about $15,000; the rest has to be made up by donations from foundations, businesses, government agencies, organizations and individuals, who appreciate the immense value of this unique program.

I am proud to say that the majority of the funds come from a few family foundations and individuals, but, unfortunately, the burden is carried by too few of them. There really ought to be much broader support from across the Armenian community worldwide for Zoryan as a national institution, because of the nature of the work it does, only some of which we have talked about. I would like to see Armenian students coming from all parts of the world sponsored by their local churches, community centres, social and political organizations, and, of course, individual sponsors.