Conversation Series

This series engages students and the public with discussions about timely topics dealing with ethnic and religious hatred and tolerance.  These moderated conversations invite scholars and practitioners to share their expertise with the campus community, to showcase diverse opinions, and to model open and respectful dialogue. 

For a complete archive of past recorded conversations in the series, see below.

For more information of the flagship course offered by the Raoul Wallenberg Instutute, which connects all of the conversations through group dialogue, click here.

"What Is Genocide and Should We Name It?" (March 18, 2025)

This expert panel delves into the concept of genocide, exploring its historical origins, legal implications, and the profound impact of its terminology. Panelists will examine the value of the term for recognizing and addressing atrocities, the potential damage caused by its misuse or overuse, and the term’s conversation-halting nature.
This panel will include experts from across the University of Michigan community and beyond, including:

Panelists:

Steven Ratner: Director, Donia Human Rights Center; Bruno Simma Collegiate Professor of Law

Linda Kinstler: Journalist and Junior Fellow, at the Harvard Society of Fellows

Yurii Kaparulin: Research Fellow, Raoul Wallenberg Institute; Associate Professor in the Department of National, International Law, and Law Enforcement; Director of the Raphael Lemkin Center for Genocide Studies at Kherson State University.

Jeffrey Veidlinger, Moderator: Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Joseph Brodsky Collegiate Professor of History and Judaic Studies

"What are the driving forces behind hatred?" (March 11, 2025)

This panel discussion will highlight the connecting threads between forms of ethno-religious hatred, like Islamophobia and antisemitism, and examine the prospects for overcoming differences in pursuit of inclusive, multiracial democracy.

Panelists:

Eric K. Ward: Race Forward, Executive Vice President

Amy Spitalnick: Jewish Council for Public Affairs, CEO

Jeffrey Veidlinger, Moderator: Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Joseph Brodsky Collegiate Professor of History and Judaic Studies

"Why is it so difficult to talk about the conflict in Israel and Palestine?" (February 18, 2025)

This panel aims to unpack the contemporary implications of the conflict in our own campus community, fostering a nuanced dialogue that acknowledges diverse perspectives and seeks pathways for understanding and continued dialogue across ideologies. Exploring the complexities and differing narratives surrounding the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, panelists will discuss the ways in which various interpretations and representations shape public perception and policy, and how they make emotions and communications around the topic difficult to navigate.

Panelists:

Mostafa Hussein: Assistant Professor, Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies

Aaron Rock-Singer: Research Fellow, Raoul Wallenberg Institute; Lecturer, Judaic and Middle East Studies

Karla Goldman: Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work; Director, Jewish Communal Leadership Program; Professor, Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies

Jeffrey Veidlinger, Moderator: Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Joseph Brodsky Collegiate Professor of History and Judaic Studies

"Can one person make a difference, and if so, how?" (January 21, 2025)

Inspired by the historical figures of Raoul Wallenberg and Martin Luther King Jr., the Raoul Wallenberg Institute hosts an interdisciplinary and intergenerational conversation about the role of the individual in making change. Expert and activist panelists will examine various instances of individual and group influence to enact change, discussing the merit of trying and failing, the different ways that individuals have sought to influence the world around them, and how to measure and evaluate “making a difference.”

Panelists:

Irene Butter, Professor Emerita of Public Health, Holocaust survivor, and peace activist

Matthew J. Countryman, Associate Professor of Afroamerican & African Studies, and History

Sooyun Christina Kim, Undergraduate LSA - Student

Elliot Ratzman, Research Fellow, Raoul Wallenberg Institute

Jeffrey Veidlinger, Moderator: Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute