Current Publications

Current News Releases

News Archives

TV Commercials

Campus Photos

Public Relations Staff

Our SUNY Canton

The email address for Our SUNY Canton, the weekly faculty/staff newsletter is oursunycanton@canton.edu

SUNY Research Foundation Lauds

SUNY Canton Associate Professor

 The State University of New York (SUNY) Research Foundation recently honored a SUNY Canton Associate Professor of Sociology for her work unveiling the shame of honor killings.

SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy presented Dr. Amani Awwad with the award at his State-of-the-Campus Address on Friday, August 26. Awwad was among 52 SUNY faculty awarded for their outstanding research and scholarship earlier this year. Provost Jeremy D. Brown accepted the award when Awwad was unable to attend the SUNY awards ceremony.

SUNY Research Foundation Officials said Awwad's hard work advances humanity, enhances New York State's economy and ensures that SUNY is recognized throughout the world as a home to research and scholarship.

Awwad has delved into one of the controversial practices of some religions. Her research describes the "honor killing" of women who are perceived to have committed a crime against their families. Women have been put to death for engaging in premarital sex, or other activities considered slanderous to her family. "Women who are victims of rape or incest fall victim to this form of family aggression, because it is believed that they have brought shame to the family," Awwad said.

Awwad is the co-author of a book in progress entitled "Gossip, Scandal, Shame and Honor Killing: A Case for Social Constructionism and Hegemonic Discourse." In April, she addressed politicians, social workers and human rights advocates in Amsterdam at a conference about honor killings. This conference followed the wake of the November 2004 murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. Van Gogh, a descendant of the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, made a controversial film about the alleged violence against women in Islamic societies.

Awwad's first personal experience with honor killings came when she was in high school in the Palestinian Territories. She said one of her friends had been targeted for an honor killing. Her friend was smuggled from the country by international human rights agencies and remains in hiding, more than 25 years after the incident.

Awwad received her Bachelor of Arts from Siena Heights University and her Master of Arts and Doctorate degrees from Western Michigan University.

August 29, 2005

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7527.

Return to news