Colgate professor Peter Balakian is a world-renowned Armenian genocide expert.
Colgate professor Peter Balakian is a world-renowned Armenian genocide expert.
As the world commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide today, Colgate professor Peter Balakian continues to press the U.S. government to join a growing number of nations and dignitaries, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Pope Francis, to publicly denounce and formally brand the killings as genocide.
Balakian, a descendant of survivors of the atrocity that killed about 1.5 million people, is a commentator, poet, author of seven books, and the Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor in Humanities, professor of English, and director of creative writing at Colgate. He has provided expert commentary on the legacy and trauma of the Armenian genocide, and what he calls “the continued denial of the Turkish government to come to terms with its past.”
“I think what’s shocking in the Turkish case is the refusal, in the face of large world-wide pressure, not just from Armenians, but from 22 countries that have passed Armenian genocide resolutions, for Turkey to deal with the aftermath of the genocide in an ethical way,” said Balakian. “Turkey’s refusal has been shocking to the world.”
Additional commentary can be found in the news links below.
All Things Considered
Los Angeles Times
The Guardian
60 Minutes Overtime
The Economist
Salon
Chicago Tribune
International Business Times
The Daily Beast
The Take Away
Tablet Magazine
Portland Press Herald