Child looking at Guernica painting

Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide

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 statesponsored 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.

Upcoming Events

Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings promotional image

Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings

Friday, February 7, 2025 10:30am to 12:00pm
Schaeffer Hall
The CLAS Office of the Dean and the Research Development Office invite you to a monthly workshop series focused on the Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide. The second monthly workshop will be held on Friday, Feb. 7, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in 302 SH. This session will feature presentations by Stephanie DiPietro (Associate Professor; Sociology and Criminology) and Elke Heckner (Associate Professor of Instruction; German). An agenda is provided below. 10:30–10:40 a.m...
Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings promotional image

Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings

Friday, March 7, 2025 10:30am to 12:00pm
University Capitol Centre
The CLAS Office of the Dean and the Research Development Office invite you to a monthly workshop series focused on the Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide. The third monthly workshop will be held on Friday, March 7, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in 1117 UCC. This session's speakers are TBA. An agenda is provided below. 10:30–10:40 a.m. - Gather, greetings, coffee and pastries 10:45–11:15 a.m. - First presenter (20-25 minute talk, 5-10 minutes for discussion) 11:15–11:45...
Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings promotional image

Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study for War & Genocide Monthly Workshop Meetings

Friday, April 11, 2025 10:30am to 12:00pm
University Capitol Centre
The CLAS Office of the Dean and the Research Development Office invite you to a monthly workshop series focused on the Interdisciplinary Consortium for the Study of War and Genocide. The fourth monthly workshop will be held on Friday, April 11, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in 1117 UCC. This session will feature presentations by Elizabeth Menninga (Associate Professor; Political Science) and Ashley Howard (Assistant Professor; History and African American Studies) . An agenda is provided below. 10...

Potential Funding Opportunities

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

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Research Development Office in advance at 319-335-0303 or vpr-rdo@uiowa.edu