June 17, 2013 — A Guatemala collaborative team composed of Carlos Aguirre (History, LAS), Lynn Stephen (Anthropology), Michelle McKinley (Law), Gabriela Martinez (SOJC), and Stephanie Wood (Wired Humanities Projects) has been awarded a $13,500 grant from a cross-campus initiative that seeks to motivate greater responsiveness to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
The initiative, “Genocide and Mass Atrocities: Responsibility to Prevent,” examines personal and political responses to mass atrocities from the perspective of numerous disciplines. It has been spearheaded by the UO School of Law’s Appropriate Dispute Resolution Center, in partnership with the Carlton and Wilberta Ripley Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace, and the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. A total of four of four inaugural project grants were awarded for the 2013-14 Academic Year.
The Guatemala collaborative team, which forms the CLLAS Human Rights Research Group, will implement a series of projects related to human rights and the prevention of violence in Guatemala. These projects include educational initiatives for UO faculty and students, Oregon teachers, and Guatemalan educators and human rights advocates. The proposal, entitled “Preventing Further Genocide in Guatemala and Beyond,” includes a two-day workshop on litigation led by renowned international human rights attorney Almudena Bernabéu, a tool kit for journalists, a workshop on education and prevention of violence to be held in Guatemala City, a one-day retreat for Oregon teachers, and several other initiatives.
“These projects build upon and will enhance our on-going collaboration with various Guatemalan institutions such as the National Police Historical Archive,” said Carlos Aguirre, professor of history and head of the Latin American Studies Program. “Close collaboration between the Latin American Studies Program and the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies has been critical for the success of this proposal,” he added. On-going collaborative work on Guatemala includes the production of a documentary about memory and human rights, a book translation, and a global seminar on human rights to be taught in Antigua, Guatemala, next summer 2014.
For more information on this year’s Savage Endowment of International Relations grant winners:
EUGENE, Ore. — June 17, 2013 — A cross-campus initiative that seeks to motivate greater responsiveness to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities has announced the recipients of its inaugural project grants.
The initiative, “Genocide and Mass Atrocities: Responsibility to Prevent,” examines personal and political responses to mass atrocities from the perspective of numerous disciplines. It has been spearheaded by the University of Oregon School of Law’s Appropriate Dispute Resolution Center, in partnership with the Carlton and Wilberta Ripley Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace, and the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
Through a generous commitment from the Savage Endowment, the initiative provides up to $20,000 annually to support eligible programs proposed by UO faculty, staff and students.
The 2013-14 project grant recipients are:
- “Preventing Further Genocide and Mass Atrocities in Guatemala and Beyond.” Submitted by: Lynn Stephen (Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies, Anthropology), Carlos Aguirre (History, Latin American Studies), Gabriela Martinez (School of Journalism & Communication), Michelle McKinley (School of Law), Stephanie Wood (Fulbright Senior Specialist).
- “Overcoming Psychic Numbing: Creating Better Media Coverage of Mass Atrocity.” Submitted by: Scott Maier (School of Journalism and Communication), Paul Slovic (Psychology).
- “African Peacebuilding Project.” Submitted by: Barbara Tint (Conflict and Dispute Resolution, School of Law), Emmalee McDonald (African Studies; Conflict and Dispute Resolution, School of Law).
- “Building Response-Based Undergraduate Curriculum and Course Content Concerning Genocide and its Prevention.” Galen Martin (International Studies)
Applications were reviewed and considered by an interdisciplinary, cross-campus steering committee composed of faculty, administrators, and students.
“The committee is quite pleased with the innovative, collaborative, and prevention-oriented nature of these four projects,” said David Frank, dean of the UO Clark Honors College and chair of the Savage Committee. “They exemplify thoughtful creativity and a dedication to action.”A call for 2014-15 project proposals will be released in fall 2013 and will be posted on the Savage Endowment for International Relations and Peace webpage.