July 23, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Steven Spielberg, USC Partner on Genocide Research

Spielberg
Steven Spielberg and USC are partnering on genocide research. (Thinkstock)

Director Steven Spielberg and USC President C.L. Max Nikias announced on April 25 the creation of a research center that will study how and why genocide occurs and what steps might be taken to prevent such mass violence.

The Center for Advanced Genocide Research will build on the work done over the past two decades by the USC Shoah Foundation, which has gathered testimonials of survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides.

Spielberg, who founded the Shoah Foundation 20 years ago following the release of the Holocaust film Schindler’s List, said its work is “far from finished.”

“Now comes the next significant chapter, one that establishes the institute as one of the leading academic centers of excellence for the study of the Holocaust and genocides,” he said. “The potential is there for groundbreaking research.”

The Genocide Research center will be housed at the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Its work will encompass three areas:

– Resistance to Genocide and Mass Violence, focusing on acts of resistance and elements of defiance that can stop or slow a genocide;
– Violence, Emotion and Behavioral Change, studying the nature of genocide and mass violence and how they impact “emotional, social, psychological, historical and physical behavior;” and
– Digital Genocide Studies, examining how data and testimonials from the Shoah Foundation can identify patterns of mass violence and resistance to it.

Spielberg said every year it seems the work of the foundation is yet to begin.

“The world now has a beacon of hope in breaking the cycle that leads to mass violence,” Spielberg said.

Nikias said the center would preserve the 52,000 survivor testimonies in the archives and seek to find a way to end mass violence.

“We are honored to establish this vital center of scholarship and learning,” Nikias said. “The University of Southern California is and will always remain committed to creating a world freed from genocide. Through the Center for Advanced Genocide Research, we resolve to have a global impact on the real-world problem of genocide.”

Nikias said there are more than 106,000 hours of testimony, which “give voice to the voiceless and life to the lifeless.”

“They provide us with the tools to transform hatred and bigotry into tolerance and understanding,” Nikias said.

Related Posts

CineMalibu Returns with Free Outdoor Movie Nights at Malibu Bluffs Park

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and low-back chairs, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis CineMalibu, a beloved...

County Sheriff Oversight Elects New Leadership Team

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

Established in 2016, the commission aims to enhance LASD transparency and public trust through policy analysis and community engagement The...

Amid Federal Funding Cuts, County Seeks Input on Public Health Priorities

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

DPH is urging residents to share how public health efforts affect their communities and identify key areas for future focus...

CicLAvia to Open 6.75 Miles of Car-Free Streets from Culver City to Venice

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The event features four hubs: Arts District on Washington Blvd., Downtown Culver City near the Culver Hotel, Mar Vista on...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

Mayor Bass, Veterans Demand Troop Withdrawal as Marines Exit City

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

Bass, alongside California State Senator and Marine Corps veteran Caroline Menjivar, condemned the deployment as “unnecessary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional.” Los...

Investigators Probe Marina del Rey Site in Deadly LA Sheriff’s Facility Explosion

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The explosion, which occurred Friday morning at the training academy, claimed the lives of Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and...

UCLA Team Installs Air Quality Network in West LA

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The project spans from Topanga State Park through Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, and Santa Monica, addressing pollution risks from the blaze...

Culver City Votes to Install Digital Kiosks on Sidewalks

July 21, 2025

July 21, 2025

Projected revenues could range from $750,000 to $1.3 million annually for Phase I, with totals potentially reaching $53 million over...

What We Know So Far About the Santa Monica-Linked Explosion That Killed Three Deputies

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The probe traces back to Thursday, when residents of an apartment complex on the 800 block of Bay Street in...

County Offers $58M in Parks Grants, Hosts Info Session Wednesday

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The grants aim to enhance park equity, access, and environmental benefits, with awards ranging from $100,000 to $4 million The...

(Photos) See Inside This $60M Holmby Hills Mansion Inspired by a Madrid Museum

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

Soaring 30-foot ceilings, adorned with 400-year-old Moorish columns and 16th-17th century Florentine carvings, greet visitors Nestled on the prestigious 133...

Nine-Unit Apartment Complex in Palms Hits Market for Nearly $3M

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The property, zoned LAR3, presents a potential value-add opportunity for investors, though specific details are outlined in the offering memorandum...

Punk Rock Tribute Night Set for The Venice West

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The lineup includes Doyle Rules honoring The Misfits, Kill the Poor paying tribute to Dead Kennedys, and Rockaways performing Ramones...

Santa Monica College to Perform “Seussical (Theatre for Young Audiences)”

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The 75-minute family-friendly musical, set in the Jungle of Nool, follows Horton the elephant as he protects a speck of...