On this occasion, Dr. Roger W. Smith, Chair of the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, remarked that “it has been extremely gratifying to witness the strong reception of the journal from Los Angles to Yerevan, Buenos Aries to Athens, and Toronto to Jerusalem. That the journal is being read and has contributors from all over the world is directly in line with its mission to create an academic forum on genocide that will help young and older scholars, policy-makers and the general public alike better understand the phenomenon of genocide and promote the necessity of preventing it.”
GSP V1, N3 opens with an article, “Genocide and Atrocity Crimes,” by David Scheffer, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for International Human Rights, Northwestern University and formerly United States Ambassador for War Crimes. He argues that by separating the criminal aspect of genocide from its political reality, focus can be placed on the need for more effective international intervention. His two propositions are to liberate the use of the term genocide from governments and international organizations and, more generally, to substitute the new concepts of atrocity crimes and atrocity law for the actual legal, political and public terminology used regarding the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. GSP V2, N1 will have a series of expert responses to Scheffer’s thought-provoking and groundbreaking research on the definition of genocide, international law and intervention.

The other articles in GSP V1, N3 deal with Darfur, early warning in Haiti, and the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides. They are as follows:

• “Labelling “Genocide” in Sudan: A Constructionist Analysis of Darfur,” William F.S. Miles, Professor of Political Science, Northeastern University;

• “Anti-Haitianism, Historical Memory, and the Potential for Genocidal Violence in the Dominican Republic,” Edward Paulino, Assistant Professor of History, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY;

• “The Restless World of Leonardo Alishan (1951–January 2005): A Burnt Offering on the Altar of the Armenian Genocide,” Rubina Peroomian, Associate Researcher at the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA;

• “Deportation and Massacres in the Cipher Telegrams of the Interior Ministry in the Prime Ministerial Archive (Babakanlık Arivi),” Taner Akçam, Visiting Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota;

• “’Native Christians Massacred’: The Ottoman Genocide of the Assyrians during World War I,” Hannibal Travis, Assistant Professor of Law, Florida International University.

Previously in the first volume, special issues explored the first genocide of the 21st century, Darfur, and the Armenian Genocide, the archetypal genocide of the 20th century.

Genocide Studies and Prevention was co-founded by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) and the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute). It is the official journal of the IAGS and is published three times a year by the University of Toronto Press. Subscriptions are $50.00 per year, but a discount is available for purchasing the complete inaugural volume. For more information, contact the IIGHRS (Zoryan Institute), admin@genocidestudies.org, Tel: 416-250-9807.