ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FEATURED AT 44TH ANNUAL SCHOLARS’ CONFERENCE
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014
Speakers discuss genocide at the American Jewish University in Los
Angeles during the 44th Annual Scholars’ Conference
BY DORIS MELKONIAN AND ARDA MELKONIAN
LOS ANGELES–On the eve of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, the 44th
Annual Scholars’ Conference (ASC) on the Holocaust and the Churches
featured the first Genocide of the 20th century, adopting the theme,
“Remembering for the Future: Armenia, Auschwitz and Beyond.” Rev. Dr.
Henry Knight (Professor, Keene State University), President of the
Annual Scholars’ Conference commented, “Our theme for this year’s
ASC invited us to examine the Genocide of the Armenian people while
continuing to sustain our four decades of examining questions and
issues raised by the Holocaust. By having more than an occasional
session devoted to their distinctive traumas, each of the communities
represented at this year’s gathering grew in their grasp of the issues
uniquely at stake in their respective histories.”
The historic event, hosted by the American Jewish University, Los
Angeles, on March 8-11, brought together scholars of the Armenian
Genocide and Jewish Holocaust in an interdisciplinary, international,
interfaith and intergenerational conference. It provided a unique forum
for scholars to highlight the events of the Genocide and Holocaust,
and to discuss the implications of these tragedies, the impact on
subsequent generations, and the necessity of genocide and holocaust
education and prevention.
Dr. Marcia Sachs Littell (Professor, Stockton College), Vice-President
of the Annual Scholars’ Conference, and wife of the late Rev. Dr.
Franklin Littell (Co-founder of the Conference), emphasized the
historical significance of the Armenian Genocide in relation to the
Holocaust. “The Armenian Genocide, the first Genocide of the Twentieth
Century, sent a message to Adolf Hitler, that he could do anything
he wanted and the world would not protest.”
The opening plenary session, “A Century of Genocide: What Have We
Learned?” allowed for a conversation among clergy and scholars
from diverse backgrounds. The panelists, representing different
denominations and ethnic groups, Father Dr. John Pawlikowski
(Professor, Catholic Theological Union), Dr. Richard Hovannisian
(Professor Emeritus, UCLA), Rev. Dr. Henry Knight, and Rabbi Dr.
Michael Berenbaum (Professor, American Jewish University) provided
unique perspectives to the question posed. Dr. Pawlikowski explained
that while a new sensitivity to and awareness of many issues within
the Christian community has developed, there has yet to be a movement
from awareness to genocide prevention. Dr. Hovannisian shared that
increased knowledge and awareness has not led to prevention since
governments have not found it in their self-perceived national interest
to implement punishment for genocide. Dr. Knight added that the world
has become complex and the tools for detecting signals of genocide
have also become complex. He underscored the need to spot genocide
signposts early in order to effectively prevent killings. Dr.
Berenbaum explained that governmental inaction to prevent genocide is
not related to matters of conscience but to a lack of political will.
Several papers, presented by Armenian and non-Armenian scholars,
focused on the Armenian Genocide, addressing topics such as religion,
literature, trauma, altruism, denial, reconciliation, and risk
analysis. Armenian scholars from Armenia, Germany, Italy, and
various US universities and centers participated in the conference:
Ishkhan Chiftjian (Leipzig University & Hamburg University),
Richard Dekmejian (Professor, USC), Khachatur Gasparyan (Professor,
Yerevan State Medical University), Sona Haroutyunian (Professor,
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice), Marc Mamigonian (Academic Affairs
Director, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research),
Arda Melkonian (Graduate Student, UCLA), Doris Melkonian (Graduate
Student, UCLA), Garabet Moumdjian (UCLA), Rubina Peroomian (UCLA),
and Vahram Shemmassian (Professor, CSUN).
The religious dimension of the Armenian Genocide was addressed by
Ishkhan Chiftjian, Arda Melkonian, and Doris Melkonian. Chiftjian’s
paper, “A Theological Approach to the Armenian Genocide,” asserted that
survivors experienced faith as one of the reasons and the instruments
of the crime. He discussed several examples of religious repression
of Armenians; plundering and desecration of churches, monasteries and
holy objects; and brutal attacks on clergymen. As victims experienced
the Genocide, their faith was challenged, leading them to formulate
their own responses to the question of theodicy.
Many invoked the suffering of Christ on the cross, convinced that
they suffer with Him and for Him. Their suffering does not call into
question the nature of God, but instead leads them on a search for
a God who has been absent during the Genocide.
Doris Melkonian, in her presentation, “Crisis Within: Faith and the
Armenian Genocide” used survivor testimonies from the UCLA Armenian
Oral History Collection to examine responses of Genocide survivors as
they attempted to reconcile the catastrophic occurrence with their
faith and belief in God. This inward reflection, often involving a
re-examination of their faith in God, has resulted in various types of
religious responses. For some survivors, this catastrophe led them to
question the existence of a loving, omnipotent God. Some lost their
faith entirely, rejecting a God who chose to forsake them. While
for others, their genocidal experiences drew them closer to God,
reinforcing their belief in Him.
Henry B. Mongenthau, IV with Armenian community members
On another panel, Arda Melkonian presented on “Armenian Evangelical
Clergy Responses to the Genocide.” She explained that the Genocide
has radically altered Armenian Christianity, changing Armenians’
understanding of God and their faith in Him. However, Armenian
theologians have failed to acknowledge the damage caused by this
tragic event and have yet to grapple with the profound religious
impact it has had on the faith of the Armenian community. Her paper
presented pastoral responses to this tragedy, and underscored the need
to develop an Armenian theology that can make sense of the suffering
and death of innocent Armenian victims. She explained that Armenian
clergy must find a way to respond to those who are alienated from
God and are asking, “How is it possible to believe in God after the
Genocide?” They must speak about God to those who are struggling to
understand His absence during the Genocide.
Presentations by Dr. Vahram Shemmassian and Dr. Sona Haroutyunian
examined literature about the Armenian Genocide. Shemmassian presented
a paper, “The Musa Dagh Resistance to the Armenian Genocide, Franz
Werfel’s novel The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, and Their Impact to the
Present” showcasing the heroic resistance of Armenians living on Musa
Dagh (Mountain of Moses), and addressing the issue of international
press coverage and world readership reaction to the resistance.
Shemmassian spoke about the impact of The Forty Days of Musa Dagh on
the world, and Turkish reaction to the MGM movie project. He posed the
question: “What is the relevance of Musa Dagh today in our collective
memory on the 80th anniversary of the novel’s publication (1933-2013)?”
Sona Haroutyunian’s paper, “Translation and Representation of the
Armenian Genocide in Literature and Film,” analyzed the limitations
of each medium (literature, translation, cinema) and the effect
of each on reader and audience experiences. Focusing on renowned
Italian-Armenian novelist, Antonia Arslan’s genocide narrative Skylark
Farm, she discussed the power of translation as a means of cultural,
historical and linguistic interaction.
Dr. Rubina Peroomian, in her paper, “The Symbiotic Relationship
between Turks and Armenians: A 100-year-old Obstacle against Healing
and Reconciliation,” explained that the relationship between Turks
and Armenians has been shaped by governmental policies, societal
behaviors and stereotyping of each other, with Turks viewing Armenians
as gavours, unbelievers, and “rejects of the sword,” with Armenians
viewing Turks as evildoers, perpetrators and deniers of the Armenian
Genocide. She concluded that as long as this grim symbiosis between
Turks and Armenians exists, artificial interventions and joint events
will be ineffective in altering the attitudes of the masses. She added,
“Healing and reconciliation, if ever possible after an inflicted
catastrophe of that magnitude, are plausible only if Turks face their
own history, confront and acknowledge the past.”
In “Academic Denial of the Armenian Genocide in American Scholarship:
Denialism as Manufactured Controversy” Marc Mamigonian explained,
“Although it is well known that denial of the Armenian Genocide began
concurrently with the genocide itself, and for decades Turkey and
those who support it have ignored, minimized, or denied the Armenian
Genocide, the growing body of critical scholarship and documentation of
the Armenian Genocide has rendered traditional strategies of silencing
and denial increasingly untenable.” He aruged that supporters of
the “Turkish position” seek to construct denialism as a legitimate
intellectual debate. After presenting several examples of denialist
rhetoric (e.g., the link between smoking and cancer, between carbon
emissions and climate change, or the evolution vs. intelligent design
“controversy”), and specific cases of “academic denial,” emanating
from American universities, he discussed the fundamental challenges
of denialism and the quest for intellectual legitimacy.
Dr. Richard Dekmejian, in “Utility of Pre-Genocidal Risk Assessment:
>From the Armenian Genocide and Jewish Holocaust to the Present,”
discussed risk assessment of pre-genocidal situations, and the
foresight of political thinkers and activists who attempted to prevent
the Armenian Genocide and Holocaust. He presented a critical analysis
of modern-day Early Warning Systems, explaining their ineffectiveness
to prevent genocide in up to 15 Middle Eastern, African and Asian
countries.
In the final session of the conference, Dr. Garabet Moumdjian
presented “Ottoman Official Resistance to the Armenian Genocide
in the Southern Theater of War.” Moumdjian discussed examples of
Ottoman officials who refused to obey orders from Constantinople
to exterminate Armenians. The altruism demonstrated by officials
who defied Talaat Pasha’s orders despite the potential risk to their
careers, should be further studied. Moumdjian analyzed the political,
social, and military reasons motivating Jemal Pasha and others to
rescue Armenian deportees. He suggested that Jemal’s motivation may
have stemmed from his ambitions of creating and ruling an Arab state,
populated by Armenian survivors who would form its new middle class.
A special guest, Henry B. Morgenthau IV, great grandson of Henry
Morgenthau, addressed the gathering as a luncheon keynote speaker. He
shared with the attendees his great-grandfather’s legacy as ambassador
to Turkey during the Armenian Genocide.
The plenary session on “Survival and Self-Actualization – Managing
Memory, Identity an Social Conditions after Genocide has Occurred,”
featured Khachatur Gasparyan who spoke about “Psychotraumatic Elements
of Armenian Identity: One Hundred Years of Surviving.” During another
plenary session, Rabbi Dr. Richard Rubenstein (Former President,
University of Bridgeport), spoke about “The Armenian Genocide as
Holy War,” and David Patterson (Professor, University of Texas at
Dallas) presented “From Hitler to Jihadist Jew Hatred: Influences
and Parallels.”
The public lecture, “Armenia, Auschwitz and Beyond” featured Dr.
Richard Hovannisian, Dr. Stephen Smith (Executive Director of the USC
Shoah Foundation), and Dr. Michael Berenbaum, who provided suggestions
for future action. Dr. Berebaum urged the community to transform the
memory of tragedy into a warning system to prevent future genocides.
Dr. Hovannisian challenged the Armenian community to “find ways
and means to universalize their experience and make it part of world
history as the Jews have done.” Lastly, Dr. Smith alerted the audience
to the dangers of obfuscation, stressing that the appropriate response
must be to inform it. The evening concluded with the presentation of
the Eternal Flame Award to Dr. Smith in recognition of his efforts
to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to build a better future
for all humanity.
Dr. Hovannisian remarked, “This conference reinforced my view that the
comparative study of genocide is the most useful and effective way of
confronting the problem. One can be knowledgeable about various cases
of genocide, their antecedents, processes, and aftermath without losing
sight of the specific factors at play in each individual case…The
conference demonstrated that there is much need for such an approach.”
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