VCU professor invited by office of Swedish prime minister to participate in international forum

By Malorie Burkett

RICHMOND, Va. - Herbert Hirsch, Ph.D., professor of political science in Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Government and Public Affairs, has been invited by the office of the Prime Minister of Sweden to participate in the Stockholm International Forum 2004, Jan. 26-28.

The theme of the forum is "Preventing Genocide: Threats and Responsibilities." Hirsch is an expert on international political violence and genocide - the systematic and planned killing of an entire national, racial, political or ethnic group. 

The purpose of the conference is to gain an overall understanding of the problem of genocide in its various aspects and pave the way for preventive action. Hirsch will deliver a talk on the long and short term means of genocide prevention, a subject taken from his latest book, "Anti-Genocide." Hirsch says in the book that both long-term and short-term actions are necessary in order to prevent genocide. 

"In the short run, it is necessary to stop violence and create an environment of peace and justice with the use of humanitarian intervention by a multi-lateral peace keeping force," said Hirsch.  "Long-term action is needed to attempt to build a society in which different groups will be able to get along peacefully. This includes encouraging democracy, but most importantly creating an education and socialization system which emphasizes cooperation and international human rights as opposed to hatred and violence."

Hirsch previously has participated in conferences and delivered talks in the United States, Germany, England, Ireland and Australia. He has written two books on genocide including "Genocide and the Politics of Memory," published in 1995 and "Anti-Genocide: Building an American Movement to Prevent Genocide," published in 2003. Hirsch also is one of 25 scholars whose biography appears in the book "Pioneers of Genocide Studies."

Since its inception in 2000, the Stockholm International Forum has become an opportunity for exchange between leading politicians, decision-makers and experts in various fields. This year, Swedish Prime Minister G?ran Persson invited nearly 60 government representatives, academics, researchers and individuals of international renown. Previous conferences have used historical perspectives as the basis for their work with topics such as the Holocaust, combating intolerance and truth, justice and reconciliation. 

The forum will be the first conference of this format at government level to be held on the theme of genocide since the United Nations adopted a convention against genocide in 1948. It also will be the last year of the Stockholm International Forum.  

"I hope to learn how serious governments are about preventing genocide," said Hirsch.  "In the real world actions speak louder than rhetoric, and nations always talk about preventing genocide, but rarely do anything concrete." Hirsch also said he looks forward to interacting with both academics and policy makers and sees the conference as an opportunity to learn what type of influence academics might have on the policy process.

A resident of Richmond, Hirsch first came to VCU in 1981 to what was then the Department of Political Science, where he served as chair for 10 years.  He completed his undergraduate studies at Concord College in Athens, W.Va. He received his master's degree from Villanova University in Pa., and his doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. Today he teaches courses at VCU on American Government; Vietnam; and the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights.