The U.S. Naval War College will present its first Genocide Studies conference examining both past failures to prevent genocide and current evidence of slow genocide.
In the post-WWII and the Holocaust era, the global community proclaimed “Never again!” to the possibility of future genocides or attempts at genocide. Yet we have witnessed multiple examples of it to include examples in Cambodia, Guatemala and East Timor.
Today, in the 21st century, we see evidence of slow genocide where extended wars and conflicts, including civil wars, use calculated and systematic processes that attempt gradual genocide, ethnic cleansing and/or crimes against humanity. We see current examples in Syria’s civil war, the conflicts in Yemen, the Central African Republic, and Myanmar (Burma) among others. We also include cases of gender-based genocide in China, India and other countries. The systematic use of starvation and other depletion of resources, access to health care, or humanitarian assistance that target specific communities and groups are also methods of slow genocide. Since we study and analyze wars and conflicts at the U.S. Naval War College, the concept of slow genocide is not only highly pertinent but also extremely important in terms of ethical standards in the modern era.
At this conference we will bring together scholars who specialize in the topic of genocide studies where thoughtful discussions and analyses will occur. Despite the convictions of the global community in the post-WWII era, genocide still takes place and continues to be used as a tool of war in the 21st century. Specific discussion topics will be thought provoking and lead to further discussion and analyses about genocide prevention and military interventions to protect civilians from atrocities and genocide.
Mrs. Ruth Oppenheim, Kristallnacht Survivor, Honored Guest Speaker
Discover Her StoryPanel participants:
Prof. Eric Reeves, Smith College
Click to Open Eric Reeves has published on many topics of a theoretical or philosophical nature, as well as written essays on Byron, Conrad and Milton. His literary research currently focuses on Alice Munro. Reeves has established himself as an expert on Sudan. His research has covered all regions of both Sudan and South Sudan including the recent political history and the humanitarian crises that have plague both countries. He has published widely on Sudan for almost two decades, testified before the Congress, and provided briefings to Congressional staffers. He is currently a senior fellow at Harvard University’s François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights.
U.S. Army Col. (Ret) David Cotter
Click to Open David Cotter is deputy director, Department of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas where he serves as a supervisory assistant professor. He has masters degrees from the University of Massachusetts and the Naval War College. He was previously a member of the Department of History at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Previously, he served in a variety of positions in the U.S. Army including command at Battery, Battalion and Brigade. Mr. Cotter is currently pursuing an MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Gratz College.
Prof. Don Thieme
Click to Open Don Thieme is a seasoned military diplomat, scholar, foreign policy practitioner and teacher. Before retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps, Don served in a wide variety of infantry and Reconnaissance units that deployed throughout Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Horn of Africa. When not deployed, Don was an Olmsted Scholar (Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Kraków), a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, and an MIT Seminar XXI Fellow. He was a personal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for NATO expansion, theater campaign plans chief for U.S. Central Command, and served seven years as a senior attaché in Warsaw and London, where he regularly analyzed foreign policy and recommended pragmatic actions to very senior U.S. and foreign leaders in pursuit of U.S. strategic objectives.