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26.01.2015

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

   

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: Աբգարյան Գ., Հայագիտությունը Ամերիկայում, «Սովետական Հայաստան», 1987, թիվ 3, էջ 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: Гарсоян Н., Арменоведение в США, «Լրաբեր հասարակական գիտությունների», 1971, թիվ 10, էջ 23-34:

4 Regarding their role in the Armenian Cause, see: Մարուքյան Ա., Սփյուռքի ջանքերը միջազգային կազմակերպությունների կողմից Հայոց ցեղասպանության ճանաչման ու դատապարտման բանաձևերը ընդունելու գործում, «Սփյուռքագիտություն» տարեգիրք, Երևան, 2013, էջ 40։

“Globus” analytical bulletin, No. 11-12, 2014

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