60 Years Genocide Convention

An interdisciplinary conference

Peace Palace, The Hague (NL),
7 & 8 December 2008

The Genocide Convention of 1948 has largely been modeled after the archetypical genocide, the mass murder of the Jews by the Nazi-regime. Ever since the world has wrestled with the concept. There is an undisputable gap between the popular perception and rigid legal analysis of genocide. It is of paramount importance to achieve a proper balance between inflation of the concept (calling each and every massacre ‘genocide’) and making the concept practically redundant. Solid scientific analysis and dissemination of the results are key instruments to accomplish this goal. An interdisciplinary encounter between historical and legal disciplines appears to be indispensable.

These considerations provide the background for our conference. The common denominator of all lectures is the interplay between historical and legal perspectives, the confrontation between real life experiences and court room realities.

The organizers of this conference aim to reach not just scholars, but also a broader audience of politicians, teachers, NGOs, journalists and those otherwise interested. A publication of this conference will be made available.

The conference is organized by the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, the Amsterdam Center for International Law and the Peace Palace Library, in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, the Danish Institute for International Studies, the Uppsala Programme for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Levande Historia Stockholm and the Center for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities in Oslo.

PROGRAMME

Sunday, 7 December 2008

Keynote speech:
The ICC and Genocide
Dr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor ICC

Panels:

Remembering Raphael Lemkin. The Significance and Cost of Being a Pioneer
Education and Genocide
Genocide: The Specific Intent to Destroy
Compensating Victims of Genocide

Monday, 8 December 2008

Keynote speeches:
Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity: Clarifying the Relationship
Prof. Dr. William Schabas (National University of Ireland)

Seeking Justice for Genocide. Holocaust-Era Restitution in the 90s
Prof. Dr. Michael Marrus (University of Toronto)

Panels:

Records of Genocide. The primary and secondary value of the ICTR and ICTY archives
Law and Politics: The Impact of Cold War on the Genocide Convention
Legal Responses to Holocaust and Genocide Denial
Incitement to Commit Genocide
The Institutionalization of Transitional Justice Practices in the Aftermath of Mass Political Violence
Defending Individual Perpetrators of Genocide

INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

Please visit www.chgs.nlor www.jur.uva.nl/acil for information and registration.
Entrance upon online registration only. Deadline for registration: 21 November 2008.

REGISTRATION FEE

€50 (students free)

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