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  • The Main Directions of Activities of The Centers For Armenian Studie

    THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTERS FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES IN THE USA

    26.01.2015

    Tigran Ghanalanyan
    Expert, Center for Armenian Studies, Noravank Foundation

    Till mid-20th century Armenian Studies in America were developed by
    individuals and there were no organizations in this area. However,
    certain things had been done that prepared ground for future
    establishment of centers for Armenian Studies1. Their creation was
    driven by Armenian-Americans who realized the need to establish
    scientific organizations related to Armenian language, history and
    culture. Establishment of The National Association for Armenian
    Studies and Research (NAASR) in 1955 was an especially important
    milestone. NAASR was grown from the vision of a group of sixty
    Armenian-Americans and Harvard professors who wished to advance
    Armenian Studies in the USA. An objective was set for this structure
    to become a non-profit, non-political, unifying organization and to
    achieve far-reaching results in fostering Armenian studies, research,
    and publication on a permanent, scholarly, and objective basis.2 Seven
    years before that the first periodical journal of Armenian Studies in
    America had already been established, the Armenian Review, which
    continues to be published to date. In 1950-1960s thanks to the work
    done by NAASR departments of Armenian Studies were created at Harvard
    University and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Later
    activities were implemented in other universities, among which the
    Armenian Studies Program at California State University, Fresno is
    worth mentioning, though establishment of centers for Armenian Studies
    reached truly large scale in 1980s. In this period the two departments
    of Armenian Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the
    Zoryan Institute and other institutions were established. It has to be
    mentioned that some new centers for Armenian Studies were established
    in recent years as well.

    Thus, establishment of centers for Armenian Studies in the USA can be
    conditionally divided in three main phases. The first phase covers
    1950-1970s, when the first departments were created, among which the
    NAASR had a primary importance. In this period, when Soviet Armenia
    was in the political camp opposite to the USA, the Armenian Studies
    (especially those related to contemporary issues) were to some extent
    part of the Soviet Studies. The second phase encompasses 1980s, when
    many new centers for Armenian Studies were established. This was due
    to many circumstances, including that the USA already had the largest
    Armenian community abroad and many challenges have emerged. In this
    period there was an increased interest in the Armenian community
    toward Armenian Studies. Also, perhaps the process of independence
    gaining by Armenia and the Artsakh movement had a boosting effect to
    the Armenian Studies, especially related to these issues. The period
    from 2000s up to date can be considered the third conditional phase.
    Although there was some gradual or relative decline in the activities
    of older centers in this period, still some new centers were
    established, for example the UCLA Research Program in Armenian
    Archaeology & Ethnography at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and
    others. In this period an expansion of Armenian Studies in terms of
    disciplines is observed, as today the Armenian Studies in America
    incorporate not only language, history and culture, but also
    ethnography, archaeology, sociology, etc.

    The second and third phases were characterized by greater activity in
    terms of the ties with the homeland, as compared to those in the first
    phase. However, currently the cooperation of American centers for
    Armenian Studies with relevant scientific/educational institutions in
    Armenia has not reached a sufficient level.

    Educational Activities

    Most of the reviewed thirty units are involved in education and a
    significant part of them are limited only to that. In particular, many
    departments and programs are limited to education only, such as the BA
    degree program in Armenian Studies at the UCLA Department of Near
    Eastern Languages and Cultures, the Armenian program of the Department
    of Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures at the California State
    University, Northridge, the Armenian Language course at the Department
    of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations of the University of
    Chicago, etc. Teaching of individual subjects of Armenian Studies is
    certainly an educational activity, too: for instance, Christina
    Maranci teaches the Art of the Armenian Manuscript subject at Tufts
    University Department of Art and Art History.

    Chairs of Armenian Studies at various universities perform an
    important function of organizing the education process. Among them are
    Chair in Modern Armenian History at the UCLA, Chair in Modern Armenian
    History and Genocide Studies at the Clark University, and others.
    These are not limited to education and carry out also research
    activities.

    A number of programs for Armenian Studies at universities also combine
    educational and research functions, among which are the following:
    Armenian Studies Program at California State University, Fresno, the
    Armenian Studies Program at UCLA, Armenian Studies Program at
    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the Armenian Studies Program of the
    Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at UC
    Berkeley, etc.

    Educational functions are performed also at institutes and research
    centers. Armenian Studies associations are indeed instrumental in this
    aspect, for which the educational component is not less important than
    the research one.

    The taught subjects include Armenian language (both Western and
    Eastern Armenian), Armenian history, culture, etc. Within the scope of
    the Armenian history the following subjects are taught: Armenian
    History (from ancient to modern times), Introduction to Armenian Oral
    History, Caucasus under the Russian and Soviet rule, Diaspora,
    Armenian Genocide, etc. Armenian language programs include courses in
    Grabar, Western Armenian and Eastern Armenian for different levels
    (basic, intermediate, high). Armenian literature courses include Art,
    politics and nationalism in Armenian literature, the Armenian
    literature in 19-20th centuries, Armenian-American literature and
    culture. For example the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State
    offers such courses as Art of Armenia, as well as Armenian painting,
    architecture and cinematography. Norian Armenian Studies Programs at
    the University of Connecticut organize archaeological field works in
    Armenia under the Archaeological Field School in Armenian Prehistory.

    A number of courses are also offered by the undergraduate program in
    Armenian Studies at the UCLA Department of Near Eastern Languages and
    Cultures. An Armenian language course is offered among other languages
    at the Melikian Center of the Arizona State University, which in
    addition to teaching Armenian on campus also offers a two-month course
    in Yerevan.

    Research Activities

    With respect to the research area of Armenian Studies in America,
    first of all the institutes and research centers are to be mentioned,
    such as the Armenian National Institute (Washington, DC), Armenian
    Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, etc. Research
    plays an important role in the activities of chairs and programs for
    Armenian Studies. There are projects and groups involved in research,
    for example the Armenian International Economic Studies Group, and the
    Armenian Research Project of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide
    Studies at the University of Minnesota.

    The Armenian Review scientific periodical plays a critical role in the
    research area, as it provides a platform for publication of research
    results regarding various issues in Armenian Studies.

    With regard to the research activities, it is interesting to know what
    topics are considered primary for the centers of Armenian Studies in
    the USA. In this respect personal circumstances play an important
    role, for example, the research interests of a person that at a given
    time is appointed chairperson of a department. It is even possible
    that the research directions of a department are determined by the
    research interests of an available professor, rather than research
    directions decided by the department at the time of its establishment
    and researchers selected accordingly. This reality is due to the fact
    that especially in the initial stages the choice of candidates for
    faculty positions has been quite limited.

    As the centers for Armenian Studies have been established mostly
    thanks to the Armenian communities and their individual
    representatives, it is quite natural that they are interested in
    problems deemed important by Armeniancy and representatives of the
    Armenian community. Armenian language studies, as well as research of
    various issues of Armenian history, but especially the Armenian
    Genocide are noteworthy among these topics.

    At the initial stages the researchers' attention was mainly focused on
    the ancient and especially Medieval period of the Armenian history3,
    which was a result of the above mentioned circumstance ` the research
    interests of the leaders. Later the Armenian Studies researchers got
    involved also with contemporary problems, such as the Genocide,
    history of Diaspora and other topics. Currently, some centers for
    Armenian Studies in the USA work exclusively or primarily on studies
    of the Armenian Genocide. Among those are the Armenian National
    Institute (Washington, DC), Chair in Modern Armenian History and
    Genocide Studies at the Clark University, Armenian Genocide Museum of
    America (Washington, DC), etc. Sometimes the centers for Armenian
    Studies in the USA also carry out lobbying activities.4

    Gradually, some centers emerged that are involved in researching
    modern problems, in particular, the challenges faced by Armenia. They
    initially studied Armenia as part of the Soviet Union, at opposite
    political pole, but later the independence of Armenia increased the
    interest of the local Armenian communities toward the Homeland.

    Armenian Studies are also essential in the context of historical and
    philological studies related to the Middle East region. Several
    centers focus their attention on the linguistic and literary studies.
    Grigor Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Language and Culture at UCLA, Marie
    Manoogian Chair in Armenian Language and Literature at University of
    Michigan, Ann Arbor are among these.

    Recently some programs emerged where archaeology has a major role.
    These include UCLA Research Program in Armenian Archaeology &
    Ethnography at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, and the
    Archaeological Field School in Armenian Prehistory of the University
    of Connecticut.

    1 With regard to Armenian Studies in the USA before establishment of
    centers for those, see: Ô±Õ¢Õ£Õ¡ÖÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Ô³., ÕÕ¡ÕµÕ¡Õ£Õ«Õ¿Õ¸Ö?Õ©ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ ¶Õ¨ Ô±Õ´Õ¥ÖÕ«Õ¯Õ¡ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ´,
    «Õ?Õ¸Õ¾Õ¥Õ¿Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ ÕÕ¡ÕµÕ¡Õ½Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶», 1987, Õ©Õ«Õ¾ 3, Õ§Õ» 16-21:

    2 See: National Association for Armenian Studies and Research:
    History, http://www.naasr.org/index.php/about-us-site-map-menu-93/history-site-map-menu-123

    3 See: Ð`аÑÑ?оÑ?н Ð'., Ð?Ñменоведение в СШÐ?, «Ô¼ÖÕ¡Õ¢Õ¥Ö Õ°Õ¡Õ½Õ¡ÖÕ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶
    Õ£Õ«Õ¿Õ¸Ö?Õ©ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ¶Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ «», 1971, Õ©Õ«Õ¾ 10, Õ§Õ» 23-34:

    4 Regarding their role in the Armenian Cause, see: Õ?Õ¡ÖÕ¸Ö?Ö?ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Ô±.,
    Õ?Ö?ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ¼Ö?Õ« Õ»Õ¡Õ¶Ö?Õ¥ÖÕ¨ Õ´Õ«Õ»Õ¡Õ¦Õ£Õ¡ÕµÕ«Õ¶ Õ¯Õ¡Õ¦Õ´Õ¡Õ¯Õ¥ÖÕºÕ¸Ö?Õ©Õµ ¸Ö?Õ¶Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ« Õ¯Õ¸Õ²Õ´Õ«Ö? ÕÕ¡ÕµÕ¸Ö?
    Ö?Õ¥Õ²Õ¡Õ½ÕºÕ¡Õ¶Õ¸Ö?Õ©ÕµÕ¡ Õ¶ Õ³Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¹Õ´Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¸Ö? Õ¤Õ¡Õ¿Õ¡ÕºÕ¡ÖÕ¿Õ´Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¢Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ±Ö?Õ¥ÖÕ¨ Õ¨Õ¶Õ¤Õ¸Ö?Õ¶Õ¥Õ¬Õ¸Ö? Õ£Õ¸ÖÕ®Õ¸Ö?Õ´,
    «Õ?Ö?ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ¼Ö?Õ¡Õ£Õ«Õ¿Õ¸Ö? ©ÕµÕ¸Ö?Õ¶» Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ¥Õ£Õ«ÖÖ?, ÔµÖÖ?Õ¡Õ¶, 2013, Õ§Õ» 40Ö?

    `Globus' analytical bulletin, No. 11-12, 2014

    Return
    ________________________________
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