The International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (IIGHRS), a Division of The Zoryan Institute, will be hosting a full day symposium featuring academics focusing on the latest analyses on climate change, population growth, scarcity of resources and economic inequities that may lead to international conflict, forced migration and event genocidal violence.
In recent years, the world has witnessed civil wars and conflicts triggered by droughts in countries such as Syria, Somalia and South Sudan. These have led to mass migration from the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa, creating political tremors in Europe and North America. In many cases, these manifested in movements of right-wing populism in Europe and North America.
The Symposium titled, “Climate Change and Population Growth: Future Genocide and Solutions” will be held at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto. The key-note speakers include Dr. Alex Alvarez, author of, “Unstable Ground: Climate Change, Conflict and Genocide” and Dr. James Tyner, author of, “From Rice Fields to Killing Fields: Nature, Life, and Labor under the Khmer Rouge”. This is in addition to the four discussants of the program, Dr. Maureen Hiebert (Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary), Dr. Herbert Hirsch (Professor of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University), Dr. Roger Smith (Professor Emeritus of Government, College of William and Mary) and Dr. Henry Theriault (Professor in and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Worcester State University).
Dr. Alvarez will address the human impact of climate change and its potential to provoke some of the most troubling crimes against humanity—ethnic conflict, war, and genocide. Drawing on a number of recent and historic examples, Dr. Alvarez will provide an essential overview of what science has shown to be true about climate change and examine how our warming world will challenge and stress societies and heighten the risk of mass violence.
Dr. Tyner’s research centers on the intersection of political and population geography. His most recent work has addressed war, violence, and genocide with a focus on Southeast Asia. He is the author of 13 books, including War, Violence, and Population: Making the Body Count, which received the AAG Meridian Book Award for Outstanding Scholarly Contribution to Geography.
As research suggests, climate change and population growth will continue to accelerate, and will have profound impact on sustainability causing conflicts and violence in the near future. The understanding of these issues, the causes, and their impact is needed today in an effort to prevent conflicts, mass atrocities and even genocides of the future.
Due to limited seats, attendees are encouraged to register at https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/event/24801/register/. Admission is free. Program will take place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on March 9th 2018 at the Campbell Conference Facility at 1 Devonshire Pl, Toronto, ON M5S 3K7.
For inquiries, please contact admin@genocidestudies.org call 416-250-9807.
About the Institute:
The IIGHRS engages scholars and academics in comparative and interdisciplinary research, analysis and publication in the field of human rights and genocide studies. Through ongoing research, publications, engaging conferences and education initiatives, the Institute strives to raise awareness of genocide and gross violations of human rights and the necessity of their prevention.
