Duluth Weekly, GA
Jan 5 2007
Dunwoody Symposium focuses on Genocide
DUNWOODY, GA (January 4, 2007) – Incidents of genocide from more than
90 years of 20th century history will be explored during `Never
Again,’ Georgia Perimeter College’s annual Dunwoody Symposium to be
held from Tuesday, Jan. 23 to Thursday, Jan. 25 on the Dunwoody
campus. All symposium events are open to the public and will be held
in room 1100 of the C building.
A collection of more than 20 speakers, moderators and panelists,
including Emory University’s Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, author of `Beyond
Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust,’ and the
Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Mark Bixler, author of `The Lost Boys
of Sudan,’ will examine the episodes, significance and the psychology
of genocide during the three-day symposium.
`We’ll talk about Armenia in World War I, look at genocide in
World War II and other events in the 20th century,’ said Dr. Thomas
Graham, GPC history professor and an organizer of the symposium.
`We’ll look at everything from 1915 up to three or four years ago.’
Along with speakers, presentations and panels discussions, Graham
said `Never Again’ will also show a collection of films including one
that inspired this year’s symposium.
`The theme for this year’s symposium is something I came up with
last summer in the middle of the night while I was watching `Judgment
at Nuremburg,’ Graham said. `The film came out 40 years ago. The
Nuremburg Trials took place 60 years ago. Our focus is to reflect on
the 60th anniversary of the trials in Nuremberg and Tokyo and how the
promise of `never again’ was not fulfilled. I thought this would be a
good idea for this year’s symposium. We just have to get students out
of their apathy. We can’t let this happen again.’
Speakers, panelists, and films were selected to help participants
`question broad themes of historical and philosophical significance,’
said Dr. Randy Finley, who serves as a symposium organizer.
`For example,’ Finley adds, `why do genocides occur in the modern
and postmodern world? What are the economic, political, and social
causes of genocide? Are they inevitable? Are there signs that might
indicate an oncoming genocide? Are there international organizations
that can successfully combat genocide?’
Finley said selected panelists include representatives of history,
science, business, law, music, cinematography, art, psychology and
political science.
`All will bring their academic fields’ interests in the subject
for student thought and reflection,’ he said.
The Dunwoody Symposium which began in 1980 is an annual event that
has featured such prominent speakers as former President Jimmy
Carter, Ted Turner, historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., entrepreneur
Truett Cathy, novelist Peter Taylor, and poet James Dickey.
`We’re excited about beginning the spring 2007 semester with the
symposium,’ Finley said. `Questions discussed here in January should
reverberate through many disciplines throughout the academic year.’