INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GENOCIDE AND HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES
(A Division of the Zoryan Institute)
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Aren Sarikyan
DATE: March 22, 2007
Tel: 416-250-9807
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,
For more information, contact the International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the
Zoryan Institute), 416-250-9807, [email protected].