Argumentaire

Organized by The George and Irina Schaeffer Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights,  Conflict Prevention, The American University of Paris and the AGBU Nubar Library 

The historical facts about the Armenian genocide are now well-established with a large community of scholars engaged in the field and a growing internationalization of its memory. Knowledge is now based on solid historiography and a vast corpus of documentation. Despite the virulence of Turkish state-sponsored denialism, there is a broad consensus among scholars on the processes and mechanisms of the genocide. Although early research was largely conducted by descendants of victims and memory activists, from the 1980s on the field has gradually developed to become more professional and academic. Since the 2000s, there has been a significant increase of research studies and academic publications, a growing diversification of topics and approaches, and the discovery and translation of many new sources and testimonies.

However, the study of the Armenian genocide often remains confined to restricted circles of specialists and interdisciplinarity is too rarely promoted. And, although comparative research is praised, it is frequently reduced to the juxtaposition of case studies. Research on the Armenian genocide is now ready to address more cross-cutting issues and to fully contribute to broader discussions on mass violence.

Therefore, this conference asks: how can the social sciences, memory studies, and genocide studies contribute to a broader understanding of the Armenian genocide and its aftermath? And reciprocally: what is the contribution of research on the Armenian genocide to our understanding of mass crimes and to the social sciences?

We welcome innovative and comparative papers on the Armenian genocide addressing issues raised in neighboring – and sometimes distant – academic fields inquiring into debates, findings, and reflections in a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, sociology, psychology, anthropology, linguistics, art history, musicology, law, political science, philosophy, and so on. Multidisciplinary discussions are also very much appreciated.

Scientific committee:

• Boris Adjemian (AGBU Nubar Library/CRH-EHESS)

• Stephan H. Astourian (UC Berkeley)

• Annette Becker (Université Paris-Nanterre)

• Hamit Bozarslan (EHESS)

• Vincent Duclert (CESPRA, EHESS-CNRS)

• Alexandra Garbarini (Williams College)

• Sévane Garibian (UNIGE)

• Raymond Kévorkian (Université Paris 8)

• Constance Pâris de Bollardière (AUP)

• Brian Schiff (AUP)

• Ronald Suny (University of Michigan)

• Yves Ternon

Modalités de soumission et calendrier

Participants commit to presenting unpublished research and to sending their paper to the organizers one month before the conference. Selected papers will be published as conference proceedings in the bilingual (English and French) peer-reviewed journal Études arméniennes contemporaines https://journals.openedition.org/eac/ 

Proposals should be no more than 500 words and accompanied by a short biography of no more than 200 words. English and French are the working languages of the conference.

Please send your proposals to schaeffercenter@aup.edu by September 30, 2023.

Limited funds for travel and accommodation are available for presenters in need. If you wish to apply for a grant, please include a one paragraph statement explaining your request for financial support.