22.01.2015

PROBLEMS OF THE CENTERS FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES AND THE WAYS OF THEIR SOLUTION

   

Problems of the Centers for Armenian Studies

Today the centers for Armenian Studies abroad face very serious problems and challenges, which not only hamper their normal activities, but pose threats to their very existence. These problems include lack of finance, specialists, research and educational materials and uncoordinated activities.

In order to comprehend the financial problems of the centers for Armenian studies abroad, their financing sources need to be first reviewed. The centers for Armenian studies in foreign countries receive financing from the following main sources:

- Pan-national organizations of the Diaspora (e.g. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, AGBU, etc.)

- Local Armenian communities

- Armenia (state budget of the Republic of Armenia)

- The scientific and/or educational institutions which they are part of.

Apparently, the foreign centers for Armenian Studies are mainly financed from Armenian sources, both Armenia and Diaspora, the financial capacities of which are not unlimited. Due to scarce funding many centers for Armenian Studies abroad even face the threat of closure¹.

Another important challenge that centers for Armenian studies in foreign countries face is related to human resources. Quite often these centers are unable to function properly due to the lack of necessary specialists, become idle, and consequently sometimes face a shutdown of operations. For example, Program of Armenian Studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem suspended its activities². Even the European centers for Armenian Studies face similar challenges. For instance, in Italy: “when the chairperson of the department retired, it was unable to continue its activities as a department due to absence of somebody with a title of professor”³.

The lack of scientific/research and educational materials also represents a serious problem. Located far away from Armenia, centers for Armenian studies in foreign countries often encounter the issue of shortage in textbooks, necessary literature, documents, archived and other materials.

Insufficient coordination of activities is also one of the serious problems that centers for Armenian Studies face. Only the activities of centers and some experts of Armenian Studies in Europe and the USA are coordinated. For this purpose the International Association of Armenian Studies was established in Europe in 1981⁴. National Association for Armenian Studies (1955) and Research and the Society for Armenian Studies (1974) fulfill this objective in the USA. Recently there have been some attempts to establish a structure in Russia for coordination of centers for Armenian studies and individual researchers⁵.

In other countries and regions where centers for Armenian Studies exist and the discipline is more or less developed, there are no institutions that coordinate the activities of structures involved in Armenian Studies, which means there are no mechanisms for their efficient cooperation and mutual assistance. Meanwhile, coordinated collaboration could significantly increase the effectiveness of the centers for Armenian Studies.

It has to be noted that despite the efforts made in the recent years, the problem of insufficient coordination exists also between the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad⁶. Meanwhile, the deepened cooperation and coordination between the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and in foreign countries is a pressing matter.

Understandably, the challenges related to lack of specialists, as well as the other problems often stem from the financial setbacks. The lack of funds makes it very difficult for the centers of Armenian Studies to keep their specialists, attract new ones, procure necessary literature and materials, etc.

The Ways to Solve the Problems

The above mentioned problems can be solved in two manners: by deepening the ties and cooperation with Armenia and by coordination of the activities of centers for Armenian Studies through increased organizational levels.

Obviously, without cooperation with Armenia it would be very hard for the centers for Armenian Studies in foreign countries to increase effectiveness of their work. The structures in Armenia that cooperate with them are mostly the following:

- Government agencies, such as Ministry of Diaspora, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc.

- Scientific/educational institutions: Yerevan State University (Institute of Armenian Studies, Department of History, Department of Philology), the Matenadaran, the National Academy of Sciences (Institute of History, Institute of Oriental Studies), the Noravank Foundation, etc.

As it has been already mentioned, the greatest challenge that the foreign centers for Armenian Studies face is the lack of financing, and the other problems are its derivatives. The support to solve the financial problems is perceived in the context of their cooperation with Armenia. So far the Republic of Armenia with its scant means has been able to offer some financial assistance to the centers of Armenian studies abroad, to a possible extent. This has been demonstrated by the numerous programs implemented jointly by the RoA Ministry of Diaspora and centers for Armenian Studies abroad. However, it is clear that resolving the issue of financing the centers for Armenian Studies abroad is largely related to the economic development of Armenia with consequent increase of financial capabilities.

Currently the possible ways of collaboration between Armenia and foreign centers for Armenian studies include:

1. Methodological support։ This method of cooperation relates to mutual assistance through exchange of experience. Over the years of work the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia have accumulated a vast experience both in research and education, as well as organization of activities and many other dimensions. This experience could be something to learn from for the centers for Armenian Studies abroad. Of course, this is not about mechanical copying of the experience from centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia. It might be inefficient, given the differences of conditions where the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and in foreign countries operated and due to other circumstances. This is more about taking into account the experience of the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia in one’s activities. In this respect, the methodological support provided by Armenian institutions in a form of consulting to the centers for Armenian Studies abroad could help solve their problems and increase the effectiveness of their activities.

2. Provision of educational and research materials։ As it was mentioned above, one of the major problems that foreign centers for Armenian Studies face is the shortage or total absence of research and educational materials. The centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia are relatively better off in this respect. First, by virtue of being the historical homeland and national state of the Armenian people, the Republic of Armenia is a place where most of the research materials representing value in terms of Armenian Studies are concentrated. These are kept in such institutions as the National Archive of Armenia, the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran, the Museum of History and other museums, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences and many more. This is not to mention that historic and cultural monuments and individual sites in Armenia are materials for Armenian Studies in their own right. In addition, literature, research works, study manuals and other similar materials that have significance for Armenian Studies are most of all created in Armenia. The centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia can provide the research materials they have, the literature they published or acquired to the foreign centers for Armenian Studies in order to help at least partially solve their problems related to the lack of research materials and necessary literature. Incidentally, the modern technologies can be widely applied in this matter. In particular, the necessary literature can be provided not only in hard copies, but also electronically. Also, the research materials subject to export restrictions (such as manuscripts) can be provided to the foreign centers for Armenian Studies in printed or electronic digital copies. These issues can be resolved through application of modern information and communication technologies.

3. Joint research։ This form of cooperation between research institutions is widespread in the modern world. The centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and in foreign countries may conduct joint studies on topics and problems of mutual interest. Such combination of efforts would contribute to increased effectiveness of the activities of centers for Armenian Studies due to the resource combination and supplementation in achieving a specific objective (research). Also, it would help to deepen and widen cooperation between centers of Armenian Studies in Armenia and those abroad.

4. Joint conferences։ An effective way to strengthen ties and cooperation between centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and in foreign countries is organization of joint conferences on topics of mutual interest, which is also one of the ways of collaboration between scientific institutions in the modern world. Joint conferences would allow the centers of Armenian Studies in Armenia and those abroad to supplement their resources and through joint effort achieve their common goals. In organizing joint conferences the modern communication technologies can also be widely applied, which would significantly reduce the number of problems related to the location distances. Online conferences, workshops, lectures can be organized and some experts may participate in those.

5. Placement of research contracts։ One of the effective means to involve the foreign centers for Armenian Studies in solving the problems of pan-national importance is to offer contracts for research on subjects that are urgent for Armeniancy and contain scientific novelty (academic and/or applied). Such contracts could be placed from Armenia, by government agencies, centers of Armenian Studies and other institutions. Understandably, to conduct such research, the centers of Armenian Studies in foreign countries need to have the appropriate potential. This concerns first of all the availability of necessary specialists, research materials, etc.

6. Exchange of publications։ One of the effective methods to increase mutual awareness, knowledge about each other’s scientific and other achievements, understanding of the problems and challenges, is the exchange of publications between the centers of Armenian Studies in Armenia and those abroad. Both hard and electronic copies of publications can be exchanged. There are several methods of exchanging electronic publications, such as placing banners with links to relevant webpages at each other’s websites, using email to deliver electronic copies of the publications (articles, reports, magazines, monographs, etc.) to each other. Exchange of printed publications can include scientific and analytical periodicals, individual and collective monographs published by the centers for Armenian Studies, and many more.

7. Exchange of experts։ This option for cooperation implies sending specialists from one center of Armenian Studies to another for short-, mid- and long-term business trips for scientific, research and educational purposes. This method is important in terms of enriching each other through exchange of experience in research work, pedagogy, teaching methodology, and other aspects. Exchange of experts is also important for boosting the activities of the centers for Armenian Studies and professional growth of individual researchers. In a new research and educational environment, meeting new specialists and gaining access to scientific/research materials that were inaccessible before (such as manuscripts kept in the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad, archive documents, museum exhibits, etc.), as well as professional literature and other materials, the experts will improve their professionalism, enrich their knowledge, become proficient at new methods for research and education work. In turn, this would help improve the efficiency of the centers for Armenian Studies, because after returning to their institutions these experts will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in their centers and also spread those among their colleagues.

8. Establishment of joint publications։ In order to bring the cooperation onto institutional foundations, the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad may jointly launch new journals, yearbooks, websites and other publications on topics of mutual interest, such as the Armenian Genocide studies, recognition, condemnation, reparation for and elimination of effects of the Genocide, the modern Armenian Diaspora and so on.

Using these methods of cooperation is mutually beneficial, because it helps enrich the involved parties’ experience, knowledge, command of new methodologies, etc. Hence, a coordinated cooperation is a necessity not only for the centers of Armenian Studies in foreign countries, but also those in Armenia. Generally, it can be stated that the mentioned and other⁷ ways of cooperation may increase the level of mutual awareness between the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad, contribute to increased effectiveness of their activities, will help to jointly work out solutions for problems of the both, combine efforts in addressing pan-national issues and so forth.

It has to be also noted that the mentioned methods of cooperation already exist in the relations of some of the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and those abroad. For example on October 3, 2009 a cooperation agreement was signed between Haigazian University in Beirut and Yerevan State University, which in particular states: “Acknowledging that cooperation for academic and scientific/research purposes is an indispensable stimulus for development of both parties, the two universities pledge to create opportunities for exchange of their staff, specialists, students and publications as necessary and feasible”⁸. Currently the objective is to coordinate⁹, develop and deepen these collaboration methods.

One of the ways to solve the problems that the centers of Armenian Studies in foreign countries face is the creation of mechanisms for efficient coordination of their activities. Solving this problem is related to establishment of a global structure for coordination of the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad, as well as individual researchers.

A proposal to establish a structure to coordinate the activities of centers for Armenian Studies globally has been already voiced in 2013 during the Second International Congress on Armenian Studies. It was the idea of Pan-Armenian Council for Armenian Studies, as a managing and coordinating body for Armenian Studies around the world. In the activities of such council the most important things are scientific-based development of a unified and coordinated policy and concept for Armenian Studies, determining their priority directions, development and correlation of effective programs for the centers of Armenian Studies in Armenia and abroad, forming a unified information space to ensure full accessibility of researched topics and materials through a website, creating an editorial board to designate the best works on Armenian Studies of the year, as well as to edit and publish them in a special anthology in foreign languages, especially in English¹⁰.

¹ See, for example: Вопрос существования отдела арменоведения германского «Freie Universitat Berlin» никак не удается решить http://www.panarmenian.net/rus/details/44753/; Սարուխան-յան Ս. և ուրիշներ, Հայությունն Իսրայելում. որոշ խնդիրներ, Երևան, 2009, էջ 100-101։

² See: Սարուխանյան Ս. և ուրիշներ, Հայությունն Իսրայելում. որոշ խնդիրներ, Երևան, 2009, էջ 100-101

³ Կալցոլարի Վ., Եվրոպական հայագիտութեան արդի վիճակը եւ խնդիրները, Հայագիտական միջազգային երկրորդ համաժողով, «Հայագիտությունը և արդի ժամանակաշրջանի մարտահրավերները», Լիագումար նիստի զեկուցումներ, Երևան, 2013, էջ 40։

⁴ Ibid, էջ 36, 42-43։

⁵ See Մոսկվայում ստեղծվում է «Ռուսաստանի հայագետների ընկերությունը», http://hayernaysor.am/մոսկվայում-ստեղծվում-է-ռուսաստանի-հ/

⁶ Հակոբյան Հ., Հայրենիք-Սփյուռք հարաբերությունները և հայագիտության հիմնախնդիրները, Հայագիտական միջազգային երկրորդ համաժողով, «Հայագիտությունը և արդի ժամանակաշրջանի մարտահրավերները», Լիագումար նիստի զեկուցումներ, Երևան, 2013, էջ 84։

⁷ The listed methods are not exhaustive in terms of the whole potential for cooperation between the centers for Armenian Studies in Armenia and those in foreign countries, and therefore, may include other forms of collaboration.

⁸ «Հայաստանյայց Ավետարանական եկեղեցի», Երևան, 2009, թիվ 4, էջ 18։

⁹ So as to avoid taking steps spontaneously and on the spur of the moment.

¹⁰ Հայրենիք-Սփյուռք հարաբերությունները և հայագիտության հիմնախնդիրները, Հայագիտական միջազգային երկրորդ համաժողով, «Հայագիտությունը և արդի ժամանակաշրջանի մարտահրավերները», Լիագումար նիստի զեկուցումներ, Երևան, 2013, էջ 90։

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