Denial of the Armenian Genocide 100 Years Later: The New Practitioners and Their Trade

Abstract

This essay assesses the several phases of denial from the time of the 1915 Armenian Genocide to the present, with emphasis on the most recent stage and contemporary deniers in the United States. The study analyzes their arguments and approaches, with particular attention on negationist assertions relating to intent and the claimed necessity of counterinsurgency measures against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. It gives numerous examples of the factual errors and fallacies in the rationalizations that are employed. Modern denial is characterized by increased sophistication, which can include the use of seemingly sound research methods and critical-thinking techniques. Because it can look to be legitimate scholarship, denial in this form can be particularly deceptive for students and others who might not be well informed about the historical facts and extensive evidence of the Armenian Genocide. The essay concludes with a reflection on the need for strong peer-evaluation standards for journals and presses to avoid publication of denialist material.

Group Assertions and Group Lies

“…When groups behave immorally, they often try to do what's in their power to cover their tracks: they lie and deceive. Turkey still officially denies that the genocide of the Armenians ever occurred, and took active measures to promote denialist narrations internationally (Mamigonian 2015;Hovannisian 2015). Dupont, General Motors and Standard Oil conspired to bury evidence of the deadly risks of lead poisoning, and lied for decades about the availability of healthier alternatives (Kovarik 2012).…”

Rhetorical Adaptation and Resistance to International Norms

“… 96 For other recent work, see Bayraktar 2015; Erbal 2015; Göçek 2015; Hovannisian 2016. For older work, see Hovannisian 1984; Smith 1989. …”