Armenian Bar Association Launches Genocide Legal Journal

GLENDALE — On the occasion of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian Bar Association will publish a law journal encompassing a collection of manuscripts focusing on the range of potential legal responses to the events of 1915-1923, which resulted in genocide and dispossession. A call for papers is hereby initiated on the 100th day before the 100th year and is directed exclusively to students currently enrolled in any law school in the world. The authors of the top three articles will be awarded monetary scholarships, with $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. The deadline to submit manuscripts is April 24, 2015.

Armen K. Hovannisian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association, described this important research, writing and implementation initiative as follows: “Turkey pirouetted to the vulgar dance of denialism throughout most of the first century after the Genocide. While the tricksters’ spins and swirls of indecency will reappear, probably stronger still, in the second century after the Genocide, they had better get used to having some company. A whole nation will lie in wait little longer. Though many years and several lifetimes have passed between the wrongful acts and their judgment days yet to come, we-and not time—will heal our own wounds.”

Contributors are asked to concentrate their efforts on the following: Research, analyze, and write on the viability of legal claims, under the laws of the United States and/or under international law, to reparations and restitution for damages and losses resulting from the Armenian Genocide. Please discuss who (i.e., descendants of victims/survivors, the Republic of Armenia, Armenian Churches, etc.) has standing to sue, the applicable substantive law, the appropriate forum for the prosecution of claims, and any applicable judicial/tribunal precedent. Included in the discussion should be an analysis of the status of the Republic of Turkey as a successor state to the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey’s legal responsibility to pay damages and make reparations for events that occurred during the Ottoman Empire. In addition, a critical study of the anticipated defenses (i.e., statutes of limitation) and a discussion of a claimant’s potential arguments against such defenses should be made.

The editorial board offers the following recommendations: the articles to be printed will analyze the given issue and suggest a solution. Such analysis usually articulates some background information to inform the reader, before turning to an existing or novel argument. Along these lines, published articles regularly follow a traditional roadmap of introduction, background, analysis/argument, and conclusion, and provide a comprehensive treatment of a particular area of law. Articles tend to be formal in both the author’s tone and in the obligation to ground information and analysis in comprehensive substantive support via consistent citation.

We encourage contributors to submit their manuscripts electronically, preferably in Microsoft Word format, to info@armenianbar.com. Articles must be under 12,500 words in length—the equivalent of 25 law review pages—including text and footnotes. Please use footnotes rather than endnotes. Footnotes should conform to the 19th edition of The Bluebook. Please also include a table of contents, a current CV, and a cover letter with the author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address.

Armenian Bar Association Launches Genocide Legal Journal