EASTCHESTER AP STUDENTS STUDY HISTORY OF GENOCIDES
ARMENPRESS
27 September, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The Eastchester Union Free
School District is combining with Global-Leap to host a series of
videoconferences to educate students about international genocides,
reports Armenpress citing Eastchester Daily Voice. The videoconferences
focus on five historical events: the Armenian genocide from 1915
to 1923 and more recent genocides in Cambodia (1975-1979), Bosnia
(1992-1995), Rwanda (1994) and Sudan (2003-2009).
They provide an opportunity for Advanced Placement World History
students to learn about the events, share knowledge and exchange
ideas. Each features an expert guest with experience teaching each
event. The format includes an opening statement by the expert,
followed by a question-and-answer session and moderated discussion.
The conferences kicked off on Sept. 12 with an introductory class,
“The Eight Stages of Genocide.” On Friday, Sept. 21, Gregory H.
Stanton, a visiting professor in human rights at Mary Washington
College, spoke to the students about the genocides in Rwanda and
Sudan. Stanton has been a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International
Center and a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State.
The Armenian genocide was the topic on Monday, as Peter Balakian of
Colgate University visited via videoconference. Balakian has written
three books on the genocide. His prizes and awards include the Movses
Khorenatsi Medal from the Republic of Armenia and the Raphael Lemkin
Prize for best book on the subject of genocide and human rights,
among others. On Tuesday, Alexander Hinton, director of the Center
for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University,
spoke about the Cambodian genocide. He has written an award-winning
book on the subject and edited nearly a half-dozen others. He serves
as academic adviser to the Documentation Center of Cambodia and is on
three international advisory boards that study genocide. The series
concludes Friday with David Pettigrew of Southern Connecticut State
University teaching about the genocide in Bosnia. He was recently
appointed to the board of directors of the Institute for the Research
of Genocide in Canada and is listed as one of an international team of
experts on the subject. Using print and online resources, the student
groups will study the genocides and human rights issues for a selected
nation. They use a Wikispace website to make postings on discussion
boards and to participate in chats. After the videoconferences end,
they will present their findings and conclusions.