A lecture on "Ottoman Empire and Armenian Genocide" on April 10 at
noon in Memorial Union.: His lecture will include significant
information on the background of Muslim and Armenian conflict in
Anatolia during the late Ottoman Empire era. Attendees will certainly
be informed on the course of events that escalated the tension between
Anatolian Muslims and Armenians who had lived in harmony and peace until
19th century. With this valuable information, they will also be able to
analyze the contemporary ethnic and religious conflicts threatening
world peace. This lecture covers a short period of the Ottoman Empire’s
history and early stages of modern Turkish Republic. The lecturer will
address the argument stating that “The Armenian Genocide (from April 24,
1915 to 1923) was the first Genocide of the 20th century, a planned and
systematic annihilation of the Armenian population living in Ottoman
Turkey”. This argument not only targets the Ottoman Empire that was
officially annulled in 1922 but also Turkish Grand National Assembly
governments or in other words, Republic of Turkey. Prof. McCarthy will
briefly introduce the Ottoman state to the audience with particular
emphasis on the ethnic and religious components of its people.
Therefore, the attendees will have the chance to comprehend the events
of 19th and early 20th century Anatolia leading to battles and
atrocities among these components. McCarthy will also analyze the
genocide term referring to the renowned experts’ definitions.
Then-powerful actors of the region (i.e., Caucasia and Middle East) and
interests on the “Eastern Question” will also be analyzed under the
context of Armenian and Muslim conflict. Questions from the audience
will be answered at the end of the lecture.