Department of History

About

"I am most interested in research on perpetrators and bystanders of genocide. Most perpetrators are considered "normal" people. What dynamic allows them make a shift from normalcy to murderer back to normalcy. Do they truly go back to a normal life? Bystanders, arguably, are equally responsible for group violence. Why are we bystanders and how do we learn to have a stronger altruistic response when aware of violence? These are questions we live with on varying levels everyday in our speech and actions, if we can learn to be more mindful in our responses to one another we have the ability to become less violent."

Ms. Amy Hudnall earned her M.A. from Appalachian State University, specializing in genocide, peace studies and trauma. She holds dual appointments in the Department of History and Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. Additionally, Hudnall serves as the Assistant Director of Outreach and Public Relations for the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies. The recipient of the 2023 Excellence in Academic Advising Award, Hudnall is also the advisor for B.S. History, Multidisciplinary and Applied or Public History majors.

Hudnall served as the Executive Director of the nonprofit horse rescue, Horse Helpers of the High Country, for 17 years. In some of her courses students use horses as facilitators in learning how to deal with conflict more effectively, as seen in the image below.

Education

• M.A. Appalachian State University
• B.A. Appalachian State University

Selected Courses

• HIS History of War & Peace
• GLS 2350 Introduction to Peace Studies
• GLS/IDS Darfur
• Forgotten People: Crossing Cultural Divides (Paedogogische Hochschule, Karlsruhe Germany)

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Worlds Together Worlds Apart Study Guides, Parts I and II. Norton Press. (2008). With Neva Specht.
• "Genocide and Trauma" in Gilbert Reyes & Ford Elhai's (eds.) Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (2008).
• "Learning from the Immediate, Long-term, and Multi-Generational Effects of Genocide on Perpetrators." Amy Hudnall and Amanda Moore. Biannual Conference of the International Association of Genocide Scholars Conference. June 2013 (Siena, Italy).
• "The Long Path to 'Never Again': Genocide Prevention Requires Multi-Generational Change." Biannual Conference of the International Association of Genocide Scholars. July 2007 (Sarajevo, Bosnia).
• "Learning to Manage Frustrations & Violence: Lessons Learned & a Theory of Cultural Violence" (invited presentation). 60th Congress of the Mouvement Mondial des Meres (International Movement of Mothers): Questions of Peace Initiatives. UNESCO. March 29–30, 2007 (Paris, France).

Awards

• 2023: Excellence in Academic Advising Award
• 2015: Wayne D. Duncan Faculty Enrichment and Teaching Fellowship for Outstanding Teaching in General Education
• 2004-2005: Part-Time Teacher of the Year
• 2002: Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, "Outstanding Masters Thesis Award for Best Thesis in Social Science, Business & Education"

Curriculum Vitae