Two New Courses on Genocide at Rutgers University

NEWARK, N.J., October 22, 2014 – Two new courses exploring the darkest side of 19th and early 20th century empires will be offered this spring at Rutgers University-Newark by the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights (CGHR) in collaboration with The Genocide Education Project–Higher Education Division (GenEd-HigherEd).

The new courses are titled “Imperialism and Mass Violence” and “Amending Atrocities,” and will be taught by Khatchig Mouradian, PhD candidate in Genocide Studies and former editor of the Armenian Weekly.

“Imperialism and Mass Violence” explores the mass violence carried out by 19th and early 20th century empires, within the broader context of the political, economic, cultural, and environmental dimensions of imperialism. Through case studies of the Native Americans, the Spanish-Cuban war, the Philippines-American War, the genocide of the Herrero and Nama, the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, and the crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial army in WWII, students will study imperial ideologies and policies, practices of population control, counter-insurgency, and outright mass murder and genocide with a comparative perspective. Issues of victim agency and resistance, as well as the aftermath of mass violence are examined in each case.

“Amending Atrocities” examines the legacy of these cases of genocide and mass violence and how states and societies deal with the atrocities in their history. The course explores shades of genocide denial in public discourse, acknowledgment of crimes, apology, justice, and reparations as paths to reconciliation.

James Sahagian, director of GenEd-HigherEd, said “On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as the world continues to witness new examples of mass violence, it is important to examine these dark pages in human history that degrade our collective humanity and re-shape our world in profound ways. Through a comparative study, students will also analyze the significant long-term effects on victims and perpetrators, and ensuing demands for justice.”

Mouradian has been the coordinator of the Armenian Genocide Program at Rutgers since 2011. He teaches history and sociology as adjunct professor and is also a doctoral candidate at the Strassler Center and a Calouste Gulbenkian Armenian Studies Fellow. The upcoming courses follow Mouradian’s spring, 2014 course, Sociology and History of Concentration Camps,” which traced the evolution of the concentration camp from a counter-insurgency strategy in wartime to a weapon of mass murder. Cases studied included the Spanish-Cuban War, the Second Anglo-Boer War, the Philippines-American War, the Armenian Genocide, and the Holocaust.

Since its inception in 2007, CGHR has become a leader in the field of genocide and human rights studies as it seeks to fulfill its mission to “to enhance our understanding of and find solutions to the most pressing 21st-century challenges related to peace and conflict.” It does so by carrying out cutting-edge research, scholarship, outreach activities and educational initiatives such as these courses. CGHR’s Director of Global Education, Professor Nela Navarro, said, “These courses enhance the mission of CGHR’s Global Education Program to recognize the critical role that education plays in promoting and sustaining civic society.

For more information on the spring courses or The Genocide Education Project, call (201) 739-0901, e-mail highered@GenocideEducation.org. For information about the Rutgers Armenian Genocide Program, please contact Khatchig Mouradian at khatchig.mouradian@rutgers.edu or CGHR atcghr@andromeda.rutgers.edu, (973) 353-1260, or visit www.ncas.rutgers.edu/cghr.