Why the Armenian Genocide Still Matters

Over a century later, the 1915 Armenian Genocide continues to offer us many insights about human rights, competing national interests, and the role of history in identity and narrative-building.

Join Dole Institute senior archivist and head of collections Sarah Gard, historian Alice Kelikian, and journalist Michael Bobelian for a conversation inspired by the Dole Institute’s original exhibit, “Dole & Dr. K,” that builds on the stories of loss and recovery turned advocacy for Armenia.

This program is presented in partnership with the KU Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies.

Sarah Gard, C.A., serves as the Dole Institute’s senior archivist and head of collections. In her role, she preserves and provides access to the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections—one of the largest congressional archives in the United States. She holds a B.A. in art history from the University of Mary Washington and an M.S.I.S. with a specialization in archives and records enterprise from the University of Texas at Austin. Sarah is also an active member of the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress and the Congressional Papers Section of the Society of American Archivists.

Alice Kelikian is an associate professor of history at Brandeis University working on Italian culture and cinema. She took her first degree at Princeton University and got her doctorate at the University of Oxford. Kelikian is also the daughter of Dr. Hampar Kelikian, the Armenian surgeon Senator Bob Dole credited with his mental and physical recovery after World War II.

Michael Bobelian is an award-winning author, lawyer, and journalist who has written about and discussed human rights, the Supreme Court, and legal affairs for outlets like the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Forbes.com, C-SPAN, and NPR. A graduate of the University of Michigan Business and Law schools and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he is the author of two books, including Children of Armenia: A Forgotten Genocide and the Century-Long Struggle for Justice. Bobelian also served as the Dole Archives Fellow for Armenian Advocacy in 2018, and his research was the foundation for the “Dole & Dr. K” exhibit.