Most people are caring and will make an effort to assist individuals in need. These same good people, however, often become numbly indifferent when the victims are part of a large group seeking help. Why does this occur? The answer to this question will help us answer a related question that is the topic of this talk with Professor Paul Slovic: Why have good people and their governments repeatedly ignored mass murder and genocide, and how can insights from psychological research provide useful guidance to address this problem?

Paul Slovic is a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and a founder and president of Decision Research. He holds a B.A. from Stanford University (1959) and an M.A (1962) and Ph.D. (1964) from the University of Michigan. He studies human judgment, decision making, and the psychology of risk. With colleagues worldwide, he has developed methods to describe risk perceptions and measure their impacts on individuals and society. His most recent work examines "psychic numbing" and the failure to respond to mass human tragedies.

This event is free and open to the public, no registration is required

This program is presented as part of Exiled to Nowhere: A Symposium on the Rohingya Crisis. For decades, the Rohingya people of Burma have faced systematic discrimination and targeted violence by the Burmese government. They have been stripped of their citizenship, forced from their homes, and denied basic human rights. In August 2017, the Burmese military launched a clearance operation forcing over 700,000 Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh. In the face of extreme persecution, and despite the efforts of the Myanmar government to erase them, the Rohingya continue to show a face of resiliency and courage in their desire for peace, justice, and accountability.

This symposium brings together survivors, activists, and internationally renowned experts to foster a better understanding of the crisis and explore possible paths forward. The symposium is centered on the photography exhibit Exiled to Nowhere by documentary photographer Greg Constantine, on view at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education until May 26. This exhibit documents not only the plight of the Rohingya and how the tactics taken over time have led to the near destruction of this community, but also shows how, in spite of all that has been done to destroy them, the Rohingya continue to find a way to survive and persevere regardless of the ground beneath their feet.

Exiled to Nowhere: A Symposium on the Rohingya Crisis is generously cosponsored by:
Never Again Coalition
WorldOregon
Americans for Rohingya
The Immigrant Story
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
Holocaust and Genocide Studies Project at Portland State University
Lewis and Clark Law School’s Crime Victims’ Rights Alliance
American Jewish World Service
RAIN International
Friends of Rohingya USA
Eric and Alia Breon