Why <i>GSP</i>?

Abstract

Why GSP? Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal (GSP) is the official journal of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) and is published by the University of Toronto Press through a partnership of the IAGS and the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute) (IIGHRS). The two organizations share a deep commitment to the study and prevention of the genocide of all peoples. GSP’s mission is to understand the phenomenon of genocide, create an awareness of it as an ongoing scourge, and promote the necessity of preventing it, for both pragmatic and moral reasons. The journal seeks to educate, inform, and encourage new generations of scholars to conduct research on genocide and provide a forum for those who wish to work toward preventing it. This interdisciplinary, peerreviewed journal will stress that genocide is a universal human experience; to that end, it will publish scholarly articles and reviews on all aspects of genocide and will welcome, in particular, comparative analyses and articles on the prevention of genocide. We feel a sense of urgency in a world where, in the aftermath of the Holocaust, the slogan ‘‘never again’’ was coined, yet since 1945 we have seen the mass slaughter of Bengalis, Cambodians, Rwandans, Bosnians, Kosovars, and Darfuris, to name only a few. During the same period, the destruction of indigenous peoples has been less visible, but ongoing. We believe strongly that research, analysis, education, and awareness are necessary to help civil societies, governments, and policy makers understand the consequences of the failure to prevent genocide and other gross violations of human rights in a world in which, today, some 100 million people live outside their countries of birth due to forced displacement. We recognize that the promise of genocide prevention explicit in our title is very ambitious. How do we prevent genocide from happening? No single step will change the world, but we believe that through careful research and reasoned argument, governments and policy makers can be persuaded to expand their concept of national interest to include the prevention of genocide. We further believe that for governments and policy makers to have the political will to enforce the international laws and conventions on genocide through intervention and prevention, they must be held accountable by their informed constituencies. It is through education and awareness that people are made to understand their responsibility to hold their governments accountable in this regard. While awareness is a first step to the prevention of genocide, cognitive awareness is not enough. In our ever-shrinking world, where there is ever-increasing competition for land and the basic resources for life, the conditions for violent conflict are ever greater. We feel that the key failure of human society has been the failure to adopt life itself as the central value of all human decision making. Our journal will strive to generate innovative research on all aspects of the causes, dynamics, outcomes, and colossal consequences and implications of the policies we adopt regarding the choices between preserving and harming human life. Genocide is a man-made catastrophe, and, as such, it can be prevented by mankind. This journal sets its sights on new ideas for the prevention of genocidal death-making. Genocide Studies and Prevention will be particularly open to contributions that go beyond safe, approved, and established paradigms of scholarship and science. It will be open to the unusual, the daring, and the courageous. At the same time, such thinking needs to be anchored responsibly to the norms and safeguards of established academic and scientific disciplines. We hope this journal will provide an effective forum for creative thinking on all aspects of genocide studies, serve to raise awareness of genocide, and promote the prevention of genocide with ideas that are both visionary and practical. Israel W. Charny President, International Association of Genocide Scholars Chair, Joint Journal Committee of IAGS and IIGHRS Roger W. Smith Chair, Academic Advisory Board, International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies Past President, International Association of Genocide Scholars Genocide Studies and Prevention 1:1 July 2006 ii ...