Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide

The aim of this in-person speed networking event is to build the momentum for the development of an Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide. It is envisioned that this Consortium will bring together scholars and artists working in the areas of war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence to facilitate collaboration and exchange of knowledge.

Background

The 20th century was marked by levels of mass violence, including war, ethnic and political conflict, and genocide, that were nearly unprecedented in human history. Despite these grim lessons, war state‐sponsored violence, and terrorism remain widespread in the first decades of the 21st Century, with no sign of abatement on the horizon. Today, nearly a quarter of the world’s population, including nearly 470 million children, is living in conflict-affected countries. Dramatic shifts in the nature of contemporary warfare, including the rise in protracted civil conflicts and intrastate violence, have resulted in greater numbers of civilians being caught in the crossfire, accounting for as much as 90 percent of war-time casualties. The detriments of war extend beyond the proximate harms—death and injury, environmental destruction, and the forced exodus of individuals from their homes—to countless unintended consequences, including the growth of vulnerable populations (e.g., widows, orphans, and refugees), rampant food insecurity, and damage to infrastructure that will reverberate globally for decades after war's end. Ongoing humanitarian crises attendant to war create an imperative for research scholars to document the antecedents, dynamics and consequences of war, and crimes against humanity and to advance more effective means of ensuring justice and accountability in the aftermath. Exploration of war and its human causes and aftermath also remain rich topics for the humanities, including films, fiction, and memoirs, as well as an impetus for the performing and visual arts.

Logistics

You are invited to participate in the in-person speed networking event to meet others interested in war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence on Friday, April 19, 2024 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. in the University Capitol Centre (UCC). The session's agenda follows:

• 1–1:15 p.m.: Introduction
• 1:15–3 p.m.: Speed Networking
• 3–3:30 p.m.: Mix and Mingle (appetizers and refreshments provided)

Goals

This speed networking event aims to achieve the following:

• Build the momentum for the development of an Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide
• Brainstorm potential multidisciplinary research collaborations around war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence-related topics
• Identify potential creative activities, research, and scholarship partnerships
• Identify potential funding sources for war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence research

Target Audience

Faculty from all disciplines interested in war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence.

Registration

Register here by Friday, April 12. A calendar invitation will be sent upon registration.

Respondents are asked to complete a short survey, and a participant packet will be sent to registrants the week of the event. Registration survey questions include (click here for an example):

• Demographic Information 
• What is your interest in war, genocide, or ethnic and political violence creative activities, research and scholarship?
• What expertise are you looking for in a collaborator?
• What expertise can you offer a collaborator?
• What creative activities, data sets, projects (current or upcoming), or scholarship do you have that can be opportunities for collaboration?
• Upload a head shot and two-page CV or biosketch

Potential Funding Sources

Click here to view potential funding opportunities related to this topic from Pivot (must be connected to UI network).

Sponsored by:

Research Development Office and College for Liberal Arts and Sciences