Photo during research on Untouchability in Gujarat, India (Photo by Allan Stam)
Although terrorism and civil war receive the most attention nowadays, the largest threat to human life still emerges from governments and those associated with them. Mass killing, execution, torture, disappearances, beatings, harassment, imprisonment and domestic spying undertaken by political authorities still impact more individuals than anything done by other socio-political actors - taking lives as well as political freedom.
Since 1992, I have been trying to understand what influences state repression/human rights violation as well as (more recently) what can be done to reduce its occurrence and severity. The work provided here explores different resolutions to the problem.
To date, most of my research considers the pacifying influence of democracy/democratization. Newer work considers the influence of other factors such as military intervention, economic sanctions, “naming and shaming” and other political-economic policies. Most of my activism and advisory work concerns fact-finding, documenting past abuses, truth commissions, international criminal tribunals and developing alternatives means for dealing with the legacy of state repressive behavior.
Since 1992, I have been trying to understand what influences state repression/human rights violation as well as (more recently) what can be done to reduce its occurrence and severity. The work provided here explores different resolutions to the problem.
To date, most of my research considers the pacifying influence of democracy/democratization. Newer work considers the influence of other factors such as military intervention, economic sanctions, “naming and shaming” and other political-economic policies. Most of my activism and advisory work concerns fact-finding, documenting past abuses, truth commissions, international criminal tribunals and developing alternatives means for dealing with the legacy of state repressive behavior.
Congressman John Lewis & Team Come to the University of Michigan
One of the most meaningful events that I have had the honor in facilitating is when Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell came to the University of Michigan in 2017.
Providing Insight for Action - General
Presenter to community at Charles H. Wright African American Museum, Detroit, Michigan. March 2017.
Videostream link here.
Presenter to "World Politics" at Jessup Correctional Institution. 12 March 2016. I wrote about my experience
here.
Participant in the "Future of War Conference 2016" for the New America Foundation and Arizona State
University. 10 March 2016.
Presenter to National Science Foundation. Entitled “Conflict Studies 2.0: Where Research on Political Conflict
and Violence Goes Next”. October 26, 2015.
Participant in "High-Level Policy Dialogue on 'Guarantees of Non-Recurrence' - From Aspiration to Policy:
Challenges and Lessons in Preventing Mass Violations." United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of
Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence. Stockholm. Oct 14-15, 2015.
Member of American Political Science Task Force on Governance Indicators. 2010.
Author - "Data from the Dark Side: Notes on Archiving Political Conflict and Violence" PS – Political Science and
Politics 43(1): 37-41. 2009. From a Symposium on "Data Collection and Collaboration."
Author - Evidence-based Peacekeeping: Exploring the Epidemiology of Lethal Violence in Darfur (with Alex
DeWaal, Chad Hazlett and Joshua Kennedy) The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative; The Global Policy Forum.
2010.
Participant, “Anticipating, Preventing and Responding to Genocide and Mass Atrocities (Workshop).” University
of Pittsburgh-Henry Stimson Center. Washington, DC. July 22-23, 2009.
Report for the Social Science Research Council (SSRC)/”AIDS, Security and Conflict Initiative” (ASCI) - “The
Conflict-HIV/AIDS Nexus: An Empirical Assessment” (with Cyanne Loyle). 2009.
Research - “Toward Never (Again): An Empirical Assessment of Genocide Termination." (with Ben Appel). 2010.
Member of Social Science Research Council working group - Ending Genocide. 2006-Present
Member of American Political Science Task Force on Political Violence and Terrorism. 2006-7.
Videostream link here.
Presenter to "World Politics" at Jessup Correctional Institution. 12 March 2016. I wrote about my experience
here.
Participant in the "Future of War Conference 2016" for the New America Foundation and Arizona State
University. 10 March 2016.
Presenter to National Science Foundation. Entitled “Conflict Studies 2.0: Where Research on Political Conflict
and Violence Goes Next”. October 26, 2015.
Participant in "High-Level Policy Dialogue on 'Guarantees of Non-Recurrence' - From Aspiration to Policy:
Challenges and Lessons in Preventing Mass Violations." United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of
Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence. Stockholm. Oct 14-15, 2015.
Member of American Political Science Task Force on Governance Indicators. 2010.
Author - "Data from the Dark Side: Notes on Archiving Political Conflict and Violence" PS – Political Science and
Politics 43(1): 37-41. 2009. From a Symposium on "Data Collection and Collaboration."
Author - Evidence-based Peacekeeping: Exploring the Epidemiology of Lethal Violence in Darfur (with Alex
DeWaal, Chad Hazlett and Joshua Kennedy) The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative; The Global Policy Forum.
2010.
Participant, “Anticipating, Preventing and Responding to Genocide and Mass Atrocities (Workshop).” University
of Pittsburgh-Henry Stimson Center. Washington, DC. July 22-23, 2009.
Report for the Social Science Research Council (SSRC)/”AIDS, Security and Conflict Initiative” (ASCI) - “The
Conflict-HIV/AIDS Nexus: An Empirical Assessment” (with Cyanne Loyle). 2009.
Research - “Toward Never (Again): An Empirical Assessment of Genocide Termination." (with Ben Appel). 2010.
Member of Social Science Research Council working group - Ending Genocide. 2006-Present
Member of American Political Science Task Force on Political Violence and Terrorism. 2006-7.
Understanding Socio-Political Violence Against African Americans 1860-2010
Developing a catalog of all abuses directed against African Americans for Truth, Reconciliation and Compensation
Vox
University of Michigan
- Record
- Michigan Minds
Atlantic
Insider
Xinhua
Norwegian paper
Vox
University of Michigan
- Record
- Michigan Minds
Atlantic
Insider
Xinhua
Norwegian paper
Punishing Accused Genocidaires in Rwanda
"What Really Happened in Rwanda?" Miller-Mccune Magazine. 2009.
World News Journal reprint
History News Network reprint
Truthout reprint
Organizing for America reprint
Progressives, South Bend reprint
Lucianne.com reprint
ABC Nyheter
Origo
Emoiz Latest World and Tech News
Newswire - All Girl Army
Tanzania Science and Technology
Commentary on the article: Newstrust
“Understanding Rwandan Violence in Space and Time” (with Allan Stam). GIS Educator. (Spring): 6-7. 2005.
Expert Witness for International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda - Defense (2001-2003)
Expert Witness for International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda - Prosecution (2004-2006)
Ending Untouchability in India
Understanding Untouchability: A Comprehensive Study of Practices and Conditions in 1589 Villages with
David Armstrong (University of Wisconsin), Amanda Klassing (Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center),
Martin Macwan (Navsarjan/Dalit Shakti Kendra), Manjula Pradeep (Navsarjan Trust), Allan Stam University of
Michigan), Sushma Vania (Navsarjan Trust) & Monika Kalra Varma (Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
Center). 2009.
Completed first “Census of Untouchability” in 1589 Villages within Gujarat, India
Developing a program for using “Census” to guide anti-Untouchability Initiatives at Local, State, National and
International levels
David Armstrong (University of Wisconsin), Amanda Klassing (Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center),
Martin Macwan (Navsarjan/Dalit Shakti Kendra), Manjula Pradeep (Navsarjan Trust), Allan Stam University of
Michigan), Sushma Vania (Navsarjan Trust) & Monika Kalra Varma (Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
Center). 2009.
Completed first “Census of Untouchability” in 1589 Villages within Gujarat, India
Developing a program for using “Census” to guide anti-Untouchability Initiatives at Local, State, National and
International levels
Links for Socio-Political Change
The Responsibility to Protect: Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty - the
International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS)
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch: Defending Human Rights Worldwide
Genocide Watch: The International Campaign to End Genocide
A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility
Statewatch: Monitoring the State and Civil Liberties in Europe
Human Rights Net
How Genocides End
U.S. Organizations in Defense of Freedom
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum - Committee of Conscience
International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS)
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch: Defending Human Rights Worldwide
Genocide Watch: The International Campaign to End Genocide
A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility
Statewatch: Monitoring the State and Civil Liberties in Europe
Human Rights Net
How Genocides End
U.S. Organizations in Defense of Freedom
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum - Committee of Conscience
“I GETS MY THING IN ACTION: TO WORK, TO PLAY, TO LIVE, TO LEARN”
Bob Dorough (School House Rock, “Verb: That’s What’s a’ Happenin”) and Method Man
I have dedicated this project to my dearly departed brother-in-arms, friend, colleague, counselor and inspiration - Steven Poe. Steve’s extraordinary kindness, warmth of spirit and pioneering work in the field of human rights and state repression has motivated us all to make the world a little better.
Bob Dorough (School House Rock, “Verb: That’s What’s a’ Happenin”) and Method Man
I have dedicated this project to my dearly departed brother-in-arms, friend, colleague, counselor and inspiration - Steven Poe. Steve’s extraordinary kindness, warmth of spirit and pioneering work in the field of human rights and state repression has motivated us all to make the world a little better.
