International Association of Genocide Scholars

The International Association of Genocide Scholars

Abbreviation	IAGS
Established	1994
Website	genocidescholars.org

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) is an international non-partisan organization that seeks to further research and teaching about the nature, causes, and consequences of genocide. ^[1] The IAGS also advances policy studies on the prevention of genocide. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} The organization's membership includes academics, anti-genocide activists, artists, genocide survivors, journalists, jurists, and public policy makers. The official peer-reviewed academic journal of the association is called Genocide Studies and Prevention . ^[7]

With more than 500 members, the IAGS is the leading and largest organization of scholars studying genocide and crimes against humanity. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]}

Resolutions and Statements

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) issues formal positions either through its executive board (EB), advisory board (AB), or via resolutions passed by a two-thirds majority of participating members. These reflect the association’s scholarly assessments on genocide, mass atrocities, and denialism. The IAGS has passed resolutions and issued board statements addressing genocidal crimes and related matters in the following cases:

• Genocidal actions by Azerbaijan – including a siege and offensive – against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. ^[12] Additional statements include a condemnation ^[13] and a statement on Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia (October 2022). ^[14]
• The Armenian Genocide under the Ottoman Empire. ^[15] The IAGS has also issued an open letter to Turkish state authorities in 2005 condemning denial, ^[16] and a 2006 open letter to others who deny the genocide. ^[17] In 2007, the IAGS EB submitted a letter to the United States Congress in support of a resolution recognizing the genocide. ^[18]
• The genocide of the Kurds in Iraq, particularly the Anfal campaign ^[19]
• The 1971 Bangladesh genocide during the war of independence ^[20]
• State-led atrocities against the Uyghurs in China ^[21]
• Mass violence and displacement targeting the Rohingya in Myanmar. ^[22] In 2022, the EB condemned the banning of an IAGS member's scholarly work in Myanmar. ^[23]
• Mass atrocities committed during the Syrian Civil War ^[24]
• Genocide of Assyrians and Greeks during the late Ottoman period ^[25]
• Denial of the Holocaust by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ^[26]
• The Darfur genocide in western Sudan (June 2005) ^[27]
• Crimes committed by ISIS against religious and ethnic minorities, including the Yazidis ^[28]
• Political violence and repression in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe ^[29]
• The situation in Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion has also been addressed by the IAGS executive board. ^[30]

History

The origins of the IAGS go back to the early 1980s. At this time, a small group of scholars and teachers were using a comparative framework to study genocide. Leo Kuper published his seminal book Genocide ^[31] in 1980 and Helen Fein published Accounting for Genocide ^[32] in 1979.

Israel Charny organized the first conference on the comparative analysis of genocide in Jerusalem in 1982.  The Institute for the Study of Genocide was founded in New York in 1982 by Helen Fein. Gregory Stanton founded The Cambodian Genocide Project in 1982 to bring Khmer Rouge leaders to justice. It became part of Genocide Watch in 1999.

These early genocide scholars, a number of whom began with study of the Holocaust, were attacked by other scholars who insisted on the "uniqueness" of the Holocaust.

The pioneers in genocide studies also confronted institutional pressures. For example, it was a challenge to get platforms in traditional conferences such as the American Historical Association, the International Studies Association, the American Sociological Association, etc.

Traditional academic disciplines did not find room for the interdisciplinary nature of genocide studies, so universities seldom had faculty positions for genocide scholars.

However, what had been a marginalized area of study became one of urgent interest and scholarship as a response to the genocides in Rwanda and the Balkans in 1994 and 1995.

Genocide Scholars-IAGS Visitors Walk Past Memorial Sign – Olimpo Detention and Torture Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Association of Genocide Scholars

The idea for an organization of genocide scholars grew out of a meeting between Israel Charny, Helen Fein, Robert Melson and Roger Smith at the Remembering for the Future Two conference, held at Humboldt University in Berlin in 1994. With over 500 persons in attendance and numerous panels and presentations, there was only one three-hour session on the comparative study of genocide. Hence, there was discussion of the need to create an organization that focused on the study and prevention of genocide.

The Association of Genocide Scholars (AGS) was established in 1994.  During this initial period, the AGS shared a website and affiliation with the Institute for the Study of Genocide.

The organization's first conference was held in 1995 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, US, with about 45 persons attending. Helen Fein served as the association's first President.

Subsequent biennial conferences were held at Concordia University (Montreal) in 1997, the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1999, and the University of Minnesota in 2001.

With the rapid growth and global interest in genocide studies, a number of scholars pushed for a more international perspective and argued that conferences should be held outside North America. The organization revised its by-laws in 2001 and was renamed the International Association of Genocide Scholars. The revised bylaws provided that at least one officer be from outside North America, and that biennial conferences regularly be held outside North America.

The International Association of Genocide Scholars

The IAGS conference at the University of Galway, Ireland in 2003 was the first held outside North America. There were over 200 participants, with a significant increase in participation by European scholars. The increase also reflected growing scholarship in comparative genocide studies.

In 2005, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, hosted the IAGS conference. Israel Charny was elected president.

In 2006, the IAGS, in partnership with the Zoryan Institute, an Armenian organization in Toronto, Canada, began publication of Genocide Studies and Prevention.  It became an on-line publication, free to all, in 2012. At that time, the Zoryan Institute withdrew its co-sponsorship of the IAGS Journal in favor of publishing its own journal.

In 2007, Gregory Stanton became President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars.  Stanton incorporated the IAGS and obtained its non-profit status. The IAGS launched the organization's listserv and website and revised its bylaws. Its financial practices were reformed.

The 2007 IAGS biennial conference was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia.  It was the first IAGS conference to be held in a country that had recently experienced genocide, with major participation from genocide survivors in their own language.  Over 500 people attended the conference, including many participants from Bosnia, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

The 2009 IAGS conference was held at George Mason University, Virginia, US.  

The association held its first conference in South America in 2011 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  It included over 300 participants, a significant number of whom were from Argentina and other Latin American countries.

The 2013 IAGS conference was held in Siena, Italy.

In 2014 the IAGS held a mid-term conference at the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  It was the first conference to focus on the genocide of Aboriginal Americans.  It included sessions with these First Peoples on their own land.

The 2015 IAGS Biennial Meeting held in Yerevan, Armenia, focused on the Armenian genocide.

The 2017 conference in Brisbane, Australia, focused on the genocide of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia.

The 2019 IAGS conference was held in Cambodia.  It focused on the Cambodian genocide and other Asian genocides and included significant participation from Cambodians.  It was the first IAGS conference held in Asia.

The 2021 IAGS conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hosted by the University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.  It focused on the risks of conflicts and genocide that may be related to environmental destruction, climate change, and the world's population explosion.

The 2023 IAGS conference was scheduled to be held in person and virtually at the University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.^{[ citation needed ]}

Presidents

The following persons are or have been president of the association:

• Melanie O'Brien (2021–present)
• Henry Theriault (2017–2021)
• Andrew Woolford (2015–2017)
• Daniel Feierstein (2013–2015)
• Alexander Hinton (2011–2013)
• William Schabas (2009–2011)
• Gregory H. Stanton (2007–2009)
• Israel W. Charny (2005–2007)
• Robert Melson (2003–2005)
• Joyce Apsel (2001–2003)
• Frank Chalk (1999–2001)
• Roger W. Smith (1997–1999)
• Helen Fein (1995–1997)

Notable people

• Janja Beč, Serbian-born sociologist, genocide researcher, writer and lecturer ^[33]

See also

• Outline of genocide studies

References

1. "IAGS". Homepage. International Association of Genocide Scholars: History. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
2. Forsythe, David P. (2009). Encyclopedia of Human Rights. Oxford University Press. pp. 4–. ISBN   978-0-19-533402-9.
3. Totten, Samuel (2007). The Prevention and Intervention of Genocide: An Annotated Bibliography. Routledge. pp. 1097–. ISBN   978-0-415-95358-0.
4. Totten, Samuel; Pedersen, Jon E. (January 2012). Educating about Social Issues in the 20th and 21st Centuries: A Critical Annotated Bibliography. IAP. pp. 422–. ISBN   978-1-61735-572-1.
5. Bartrop, Paul R. (30 July 2012). A Biographical Encyclopedia of Contemporary Genocide. ABC-CLIO. p. 389. ISBN   978-0-313-38679-4.
6. Ball, Howard (2011). Genocide: A Reference Handbook . ABC-CLIO. pp.  271. ISBN   978-1-59884-488-7.
7. "IAGS Journal". Homepage. International Association of Genocide Scholars. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
8. "Genocide Museum | The Armenian Genocide Museum-institute". genocide-museum.am. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
9. "Professor Waller Receives Two Prestigious Appointments". www.keene.edu. 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
10. Keshen, Jeffrey, ed. (2017). Understanding Atrocities: Remembering, Representing and Teaching Genocide (1 ed.). University of Calgary Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv6gqvg8. ISBN   978-1-55238-885-3. JSTOR   j.ctv6gqvg8.
11. Cardashian, Vahan; Yeghiayan, Vartkes (2008). Vahan Cardashian: advocate extraordinaire for the Armenian cause. Glendale (Calif.). pp. XIX. ISBN   978-0-9777153-3-6.
12. "IAGS Resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. September 2024.
13. "IAGS EB & AB: Statement on Azerbaijani Blockade of Artsakh" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. February 2023.
14. "IAGS EB Statement on Azerbaijani Aggression" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. October 2022.
15. "IAGS Armenian Genocide Resolution" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 1997.
16. "Open Letter to the Turkish State on Denial" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 2005.
17. "Open Letter to Scholars Denying Armenian Genocide" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. October 2006.
18. "IAGS Letter to US Congress on the Armenian Resolution" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. March 2007.
19. "IAGS Resolution on Kurdish Genocide" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. November 2023.
20. "IAGS Bangladesh Genocide Resolution" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. April 2023.
21. "IAGS Resolution on the Uyghurs" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. December 2022.
22. "IAGS Rohingya Resolution" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. April 2020.
23. "IAGS EB Statement on Banning of Book in Myanmar" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 2022.
24. "IAGS Resolution on Syria" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 2012.
25. "IAGS Resolution on Assyrian and Greek Genocide" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. 2007.
26. "IAGS Resolution on Iran" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars.
27. "IAGS Resolution on Darfur" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 2005.
28. "IAGS Resolution on ISIS" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. March 2016.
29. "IAGS Resolution on Zimbabwe" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. June 2005.
30. "IAGS EB Statement on Ukraine" (PDF). International Association of Genocide Scholars. February 2022.
31. Kuper, Leo. (1982). Genocide: its political use in the twentieth century. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN   0-300-02795-8. OCLC   7925237.
32. Fein, Helen (1979). Accounting for Genocide. Chicago: U. of Chicago Press. ISBN   0-226-24034-7.
33. Radio Slobodna Evropa / Radio Free Europe interview with Žužana Serenčeš, accessed 28 November 2010

External links

• Official website
• Genocide Studies and Prevention (journal website)
• Yale University Genocide Studies on Ponce de Leon