05.12.2010
"21st CENTURY", N 2, 2010
The articles in the second issue of “21st Century” journal for 2010 are devoted to the development of strategy and geopolitical scenarios (G.Harutyunyan), Armenian experience in the context of new international politics (Mihran Dabag), issues of the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity in public international law (Ara Papian), elaborations of RAND corporation concerning regional developments, including the developments connected with Armenia (Ara Marjanyan), some problems of the Armenian national minority in Turkey, the Armenian Protestants in general (Tigran Ghanalanyan) and the Armenian Protestant community in Lebanon in particular (Vahram Hovyan). Here the reference is also made to the issues of education in connection with globalization (Mitra Abdollahi).
Below you can find the annotations of the articles in English.
Gagik Harutyunyan
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND GEOPOLITICAL SCENARIOS
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Annotation
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Stirring up the problem of Armenian-Turkish relations and the forthcoming centenary of the Armenian Genocide prompted to reconsider the current problems of the Armeniancy, and to turn to our political history and possible prospects. These tendencies are quite relevant because the changes that take place locally and in the world call for developing a national strategy adequate to the new realities. Of course, it is desirable to have continuous discussions on the issues of national importance. Back in the 19th century the British thinker John Stuart Mill expressed an idea along the lines that the absence of serious discussions on fundamental principles corrupts and distorts those very ideas and principles, and it is difficult to disagree with him on that. It is obvious that without new approaches, the solution of all-Armenian issues (and there are many of them) is at least problematic. Let us try to cover some of them briefly.
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Mihran Dabag
ENDANGERED MEMORY: THE ARMENIAN EXPERIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF NEW INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
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Annotation
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9/11 was an unequivocal turning point in international politics. Perhaps, this is less so in terms of the real political intents and objectives of international political relations, which are still about the traditional political efforts based on interests and hegemony. The difference is that these efforts are currently pursued just in a more open and aggressive manner than it used to be in the past decades. However, a new phase of political reasoning and perspectives of international politics has begun.
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Ara Papian
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION AND SO-CALLED “TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY” IN PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW (THE CASE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH)
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Annotation
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The notions of “self-determination” and “territorial integrity” are often used with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unfortunately, these legal terms are largely misused mostly due to political motives. One of the grave misinterpretations of the said notions was by Ambassador-to-be (or not to be) Matthew Bryza when he declared: “There's a legal principle of territorial integrity of states, there's a political principle of self-determination of peoples.” As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite. There is a legal principle of self-determination and there is no such principle of territorial integrity. Article 2(4) of the UN Charter declares merely: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations”.
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Ara Marjanyan
RAND CORPORATION AND WE: ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS
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Annotation
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The recent developments directed to establishing Armenia-Turkey relations are arguably one of the most important factors (if not the single most important factor) shaping the future of our region. Countries of the region and world power centers alike pay close attention to this issue. On the other hand, the studies of RAND Corporation in the recent decades have repeatedly had serious influence on the U.S. politics, sometimes even forming or transforming the U.S. strategic approaches and the very mindset in a wide range of both international and domestic problems.
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Ruben Melkonyan
ON SOME PROBLEMS OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL MINORITY IN TURKEY
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Annotation
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Ottoman Empire was known as a multi-national, multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state, but due to different circumstances (the Armenian Genocide, ethnic cleansings, exchange of population, etc.) the Republic of Turkey inherited a country mostly populated by Muslims and with incomparably smaller number of people of other religions. According to the Lausanne Treaty three communities of other religions – Armenians, Greeks and Jews – were recognized as national and religious minorities. Attention should be paid to the fact that all other ethno-religious groups in Turkey did not get separate rights and status, and in fact they were presented as a part of the Turkish nation, whereas some more specialized professional circles consider them ethnographic groups of Turks of other ethnicity.
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Tigran Ghanalanyan
ARMENIAN PROTESTANTS
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Annotation
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The Armenian Protestant Church was established in the 19th century, in almost three hundred years after the origin of Protestantism. This was conditioned by a number of development peculiarities of both the world and Armenian history. Armenian Protestants launched vigorous activities in both Western and Eastern Armenia. Broadening the scope of their activity, they soon became an important factor in the life of the Armeniancy. Armenian Protestants continued their activity over the period of the First Republic of Armenia and in the first years of the Soviet Armenian. The following years were marked by the extensive activities of Armenian Protestants in the Diaspora. They resumed their activities in Armenia after the country gained independence. Today Armenian Protestants are very active in spiritual, educational, social, benevolent, cultural areas in the Republic of Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and numerous communities in the Diaspora.
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Vahram Hovyan
THE ARMENIAN PROTESTANT COMMUNITY IN LEBANON
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Annotation
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Comprehensive exposure and consolidation of the national potential implies studying different strata of the Armeniancy. The article examines the current situation of the Armenian Protestant Community in Lebanon. The Armenian Protestant organizing bodies and their activities are presented. A special attention is paid to the relations of the Armenian Protestant Community with the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Communities. It is shown that despite the confessional differences, the Armenian Protestant community in Lebanon remains an integral part of the local Armeniancy.
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Mitra Abdollahi
GLOBALIZATION AND EDUCATION
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Annotation
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Globalization is a process derived from the weaknesses of modernity that have led to the emergence of modernism. The most significant factor for its evolution has been the rapid progress in information technologies. In connection with that our interest shall focus this time on classification, processing, analysis and creation of the data, rather than mere access to them. Investing in educational systems and developing shifts to such ideas as decentralization, creativity, school centralization, as well as applying technologies in schools are all essential for not falling behind the globalization.
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