Recently, Philosophy Professor David Pettigrew (left) was invited to present a paper at a conference in Sarajevo: “International Scientific Conference: Political and Military Relevance of the Defense of Sarajevo February 29 – March 1, 2012.” His paper was situated in the opening, plenary session of the conference, and the conference concluded with the presentation of his documentary film on the Bosnian genocide, The Geography of Genocide in Bosnia: Redeeming the Earth. The 50-minute film explores dramatic changes in the geography of the former Bosnia-Herzegovina following the atrocities that occurred there between 1992 and 1995.
Pettigrew, who teaches a course entitled “Ethical Responses to Genocide,” made the film with his son, Jonah Quickmire Pettigrew, a filmmaker and recent graduate of New York University. To read more about the film, visit www.southernct.edu/news/exploringthegeogra_241/
During the conference, Pettigrew was also selected for the delegation to lay a wreath at the memorial for the children who were murdered during the siege of Sarajevo.
The conference organizers arranged for Pettigrew to be interviewed by the Federal Television station, an interview that was broadcast on Bosnia’s independence day, March 1. The interview can be viewed here: www.federalna.ba/bhs/vijest/15020/o-danu-nezavisnosti <http://www.federalna.ba/bhs/vijest/15020/o-danu-nezavisnosti>
The interview was especially well-received in the Bosnia Federation, Pettigrew says.
Emir Ramic, a Bosniak director of an institute in Canada, having read Pettigrew’s paper abstract prior to the conference wrote the following: “On behalf of the Institute for Research Genocide, Canada and on behalf of Bosniaks living in North America, thank you Professor David Pettigrew for your fight for the truth about the aggression on Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against its citizens, and to fight for justice for the victims of these crimes.”
Also, as a result of the TV appearance, Pettigrew has received a request for an interview with the Bosnian-American weekly newspaper SabaH. The article in SabaH can be downloaded by clicking here. The English version of the interview can be downloaded by clicking here.
On March 29, 2012, Pettigrew will present the documentary film and give a lecture, “The Geography of Genocide in Eastern Bosnia,” at the invitation of the Cultural Studies Program at Trent University, in Peterborough, Canada. His presentation is listed at the bottom of page found here: www.trentu.ca/culturalstudiesphd/events.php
For Prof. Pettigrew’s Website: click here.
