Historian Taner Akcam has recently received the
Middle East Studies Association’s (MESA) 2013 Hourani Book Prize for The Young Turks’ Crime Against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire. Akcam is the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and
Marion Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University.
The award holds particular significance in light of the history of
MESA’s approach to Armenian Genocide scholarship. In the introduction to
his book, Akcam wrote the following about MESA’s stance:
“This work may also be read as a critical reflection on the silences
in Ottoman historiography as practiced both in Europe and in the United
States until recently. Most historians of the Ottoman period have elided
the internal deportations, expulsions, massacres, and genocide that
took place during the demise of the empire. These events have been
‘nonexistent’ in their works. What is more, broaching this subject has
generally been dismissed as a disturbing expression of narrow-minded
ethnocentrism by members of the targeted ethnic groups. Not so long ago,
it was common practice to shun anyone who tried to open the topic at
the annual meetings of the Middle East Studies Association, the umbrella
organization for scholars in this field. It was as if ignoring mass
deportations and annihilation were an academic virtue and noble act.”
In light of MESA’s history, “I consider this as an historic award and
historic step from MESA. I dedicate this award to scholars like Vahakn
Dadrian and Richard Hovannisian who diligently and tirelessly worked in
the early years of MESA to get their voices heard,” Akcam told the
Armenian Weekly.
"The Armenian Weekly," October 15, 2013
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