WWI Centennial: War and Peace

A two-day event, to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 21 and Thursday, Feb. 22, will bring together Afghanistan and Iraq veterans in Fredonia, scholars of World War I history, conflict and peace studies, and the general public during the WWI Centennial (2018) in order to discuss what it means to end a war and to transition into peace.

In an age where, as Harold Koh argues, there is no foreseeable strategy to impose temporal or geographic limits on America’s “forever wars,” how do we discourse on ending wars and peace making? What are some parallels and differences between American involvement in WWI and America's current wars on foreign soil? These fundamental questions will guide both the readings and the panel discussion.

On Wednesday, Feb. 21, a public reading of WWI American literary texts will take place from noon to 2 p.m.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, a panel discussion on WWI and American military history will take place from noon to 3 p.m., featuring military history scholars Christopher Capozzola, Brian Castner, and Ian Fishback. Please note that therapy dogs will be present for a portion of the Feb. 22 panel, in recognition of Britain's use of service dogs on the war front during WWI, and therapy dogs' present-day role in veterans' recovery.

Both events will take place in the Garden at Reed, in Reed Library.

For additional details, see the event page on Events@Fredonia, or contact Prof. Ici Vanwesenbeeck in the Department of English.