FRESNO — Historian Dr. Bedross Der Matossian will speak on “Denial of the Armenian Genocide in the Digital Age: Refashioning the ‘Events of 1915’ on the Internet and Beyond” at 7:00PM on Friday, April 11, 2025, in the University Business Center (5245 N. Backer Ave.), Alice Peters Auditorium, on the Fresno State campus. His presentation is sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program and supported by the Florence Elaine Hamparson Armenian Memorial Fund.
This lecture examines the role of the internet in the denial of the Armenian Genocide, focusing on how both the Turkish state and non-state actors utilize digital platforms to spread misinformation and distort the historical facts surrounding the 1915 events. It contrasts methods of genocide denial in traditional printed materials with strategies employed in the digital realm, emphasizing the unique features of the internet that make it an effective tool for the dissemination of false narratives. The lecture investigates key online platforms – including websites, social media, and digital forums – used by pro-Turkish actors to promote denial and revisionism, and explores how these efforts contribute to the global distortion of history. By analyzing these tactics, the lecture aims to highlight the dangerous implications of digital propaganda and the ways in which it perpetuates historical amnesia, undermining efforts toward justice and recognition of the Armenian genocide.
Born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, Bedross Der Matossian is a Professor of Modern Middle East History and the Hymen Rosenberg Professor in Judaic Studies at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He is the author, editor, and co-editor of seven books. His most recent edited volume, _Denial of Genocides in the Twenty-First Century_, was published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2023.
The presentation is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in Fresno State Lot P6 or P5, near the University Business Center. Parking permits are not required on Friday nights.
The lecture will also be live-streamed on YouTube at: https://bit.ly/armenianstudiesyoutube.
For information about upcoming Armenian Studies Program presentations, please follow us on our Facebook page, @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or at the Program website, https://fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies.