JKU Linz cancels conference over controversial speakers
Published
The Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz has cancelled a planned conference. The reason is speakers who reportedly deny the Armenian genocide, according to the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten.
The Armenian genocide took place during the First World War in the Ottoman Empire. Historians assume that hundreds of thousands to over one million Armenians were killed. The question of whether it constitutes a genocide has been clearly answered scientifically, but remains politically contested to this day. Denial of this genocide is a sensitive topic, especially in Austria.
According to reports, some of the speakers' views are said to be incompatible with the values of the university. However, the exact content of the lectures and the university's full reasoning are not detailed in the information available so far.
The cancellation shows how universities handle events where scholarly discussion and historical denial intersect. Further information on how the JKU justifies the decision and whether new dates will be scheduled should follow in the coming days.
Sources: austria.com
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