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NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ACTIVELY FUNDRAISING FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE STUDIES
COMMUNITY | MARCH 14, 2013 12:15 PM
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2013/03/14/nova-southeastern-university-actively-fundraising-for-armenian-genocide-studies/
By Aram Arkun
Mirror-Spectator Staff
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Armenian Studies is a small field, with a small
number of academic specialists. The number of academic specialists
on the Armenian Genocide is even smaller, and there are very few
positions for them at universities in the United States.
While this situation is unlikely to change drastically, occasionally
efforts are made to initiate new academic programs and positions. Nova
Southeastern University appears on the verge of making such an effort,
if sufficient support and funding are found.
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a relatively young university,
founded in 1964, but it already is fairly large, with more than 28,000
students. Dr. Susanne Marshall, senior associate dean of operations
and student services at NSU, explained that the university has
had graduate programs in conflict resolution for many years. There
are more than 800 students enrolled in them now. The focus of these
programs has been on the international and governmental level. A few
years ago, NSU hired a young faculty member, Jason J. Campbell, as a
professor in these programs. Campbell had already founded a non-profit
activist organization, the Institute for Genocide Awareness and Applied
Research, in 2009. His research happened to focus on genocide and he
suggested that it needed to be a more defined curricular focus.
NSU agreed. (Despite repeated efforts to contact him, Campbell was
unavailable to be interviewed for this article.)
It was already necessary to provide historical and sociopolitical
backgrounds for analysis in the multidisciplinary field of conflict
analysis, so genocide studies fit in well here, but the university
wishes to expand its offerings further. Marshall said, "We would
like to have a more independent framework for genocide studies and
genocide prevention, and establish a separate degree program, or at
least a concentration in master's and doctoral programs. We are not
quite there yet."
The interest in Armenia came about through research into modern
genocide. Marshall points out that "as Dr. Campbell demonstrates in
his research, the Armenian Genocide is a blueprint for the genocides of
the 20th and 21st centuries. You see all the factors here mirrored in
later genocides, so you can learn a lot about prediction and prevention
by studying this genocide." In this sense, Marshall said, in-depth
studies of the factors leading up to the Armenian Genocide can be
quite useful. The approach at NSU is an activist one, so graduate
students want to learn what can be done for prevention.
At the moment, the Armenian Genocide is a component of the courses
on genocide being offered. It does not have a faculty member whose
research specifically has been on the Armenian Genocide and does not
offer Armenian language classes, but it has hosted relevant guest
speakers and lectures. For example, author Margaret Ajemian Ahnert,
author of the memoir A Knock at the Door, spoke there in 2008.
Not only does NSU want to expand its genocide studies programs, but it
also wants to expand their Armenian component. At the moment, Marshall
said, "A lecture series on issues connected to the Armenian Genocide
or the early modern genocides is something we are considering. We
could bring in people without making a faculty line available. We
would like to make more resources specific to the Armenian Genocide
available to our students." However, due to financial difficulties,
she stated that "whether we could get a full faculty position without
additional funding available is unclear."
Marshall added, "We are actively seeking funding. It would be a dream
to be able to hire someone whose specific academic background is in
Armenian Studies."
Armenian language courses would be possible too, if funding was
sufficient to hire an independent faculty member for this.
Marshall is not worried about any potential interference from the
Turkish government. She said, "It is hard to envision resistance
from a foreign government reaching what we are doing here at Nova
SU in the curricular area, though I know it can happen. In any case,
we are poised to move ahead at this point."
NSU has a grant proposal pending with one Armenian foundation, and is
looking at other grant sources as well as private donor funding. The
university has a definite time frame in mind. Marshall explained that
"the firm curricular framework that I would like to establish should
really be announced at the one hundredth anniversary of the Genocide.
That would be the most appropriate time for a new outreach program
or a firm faculty member."
There is at least one prominent Armenian-American already involved
with NSU who would be supportive of such programs. Marta T. Batmasian
is a member of the Board of Governors of the H. Wayne Huizenga School
of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern. Furthermore,
she and her husband in the past donated a large memorial to the
Armenian Genocide, which stands at the entrance of the school.
Marshall concluded, "We are an attractive host for this sort of thing.
We have a working program already. Our program in conflict resolution
is available fully on line. The university is young and is able to
move in the direction of where there is a need for learning. We have
identified the Armenian Genocide and genocide in general as an area
of critical importance to learn about."
COMMUNITY | MARCH 14, 2013 12:15 PM
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2013/03/14/nova-southeastern-university-actively-fundraising-for-armenian-genocide-studies/
By Aram Arkun
Mirror-Spectator Staff
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Armenian Studies is a small field, with a small
number of academic specialists. The number of academic specialists
on the Armenian Genocide is even smaller, and there are very few
positions for them at universities in the United States.
While this situation is unlikely to change drastically, occasionally
efforts are made to initiate new academic programs and positions. Nova
Southeastern University appears on the verge of making such an effort,
if sufficient support and funding are found.
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a relatively young university,
founded in 1964, but it already is fairly large, with more than 28,000
students. Dr. Susanne Marshall, senior associate dean of operations
and student services at NSU, explained that the university has
had graduate programs in conflict resolution for many years. There
are more than 800 students enrolled in them now. The focus of these
programs has been on the international and governmental level. A few
years ago, NSU hired a young faculty member, Jason J. Campbell, as a
professor in these programs. Campbell had already founded a non-profit
activist organization, the Institute for Genocide Awareness and Applied
Research, in 2009. His research happened to focus on genocide and he
suggested that it needed to be a more defined curricular focus.
NSU agreed. (Despite repeated efforts to contact him, Campbell was
unavailable to be interviewed for this article.)
It was already necessary to provide historical and sociopolitical
backgrounds for analysis in the multidisciplinary field of conflict
analysis, so genocide studies fit in well here, but the university
wishes to expand its offerings further. Marshall said, "We would
like to have a more independent framework for genocide studies and
genocide prevention, and establish a separate degree program, or at
least a concentration in master's and doctoral programs. We are not
quite there yet."
The interest in Armenia came about through research into modern
genocide. Marshall points out that "as Dr. Campbell demonstrates in
his research, the Armenian Genocide is a blueprint for the genocides of
the 20th and 21st centuries. You see all the factors here mirrored in
later genocides, so you can learn a lot about prediction and prevention
by studying this genocide." In this sense, Marshall said, in-depth
studies of the factors leading up to the Armenian Genocide can be
quite useful. The approach at NSU is an activist one, so graduate
students want to learn what can be done for prevention.
At the moment, the Armenian Genocide is a component of the courses
on genocide being offered. It does not have a faculty member whose
research specifically has been on the Armenian Genocide and does not
offer Armenian language classes, but it has hosted relevant guest
speakers and lectures. For example, author Margaret Ajemian Ahnert,
author of the memoir A Knock at the Door, spoke there in 2008.
Not only does NSU want to expand its genocide studies programs, but it
also wants to expand their Armenian component. At the moment, Marshall
said, "A lecture series on issues connected to the Armenian Genocide
or the early modern genocides is something we are considering. We
could bring in people without making a faculty line available. We
would like to make more resources specific to the Armenian Genocide
available to our students." However, due to financial difficulties,
she stated that "whether we could get a full faculty position without
additional funding available is unclear."
Marshall added, "We are actively seeking funding. It would be a dream
to be able to hire someone whose specific academic background is in
Armenian Studies."
Armenian language courses would be possible too, if funding was
sufficient to hire an independent faculty member for this.
Marshall is not worried about any potential interference from the
Turkish government. She said, "It is hard to envision resistance
from a foreign government reaching what we are doing here at Nova
SU in the curricular area, though I know it can happen. In any case,
we are poised to move ahead at this point."
NSU has a grant proposal pending with one Armenian foundation, and is
looking at other grant sources as well as private donor funding. The
university has a definite time frame in mind. Marshall explained that
"the firm curricular framework that I would like to establish should
really be announced at the one hundredth anniversary of the Genocide.
That would be the most appropriate time for a new outreach program
or a firm faculty member."
There is at least one prominent Armenian-American already involved
with NSU who would be supportive of such programs. Marta T. Batmasian
is a member of the Board of Governors of the H. Wayne Huizenga School
of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern. Furthermore,
she and her husband in the past donated a large memorial to the
Armenian Genocide, which stands at the entrance of the school.
Marshall concluded, "We are an attractive host for this sort of thing.
We have a working program already. Our program in conflict resolution
is available fully on line. The university is young and is able to
move in the direction of where there is a need for learning. We have
identified the Armenian Genocide and genocide in general as an area
of critical importance to learn about."