Armenian national identity has long been associated with what has come to be known as the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Immersing the reader in the history, culture and politics of Armenia – from its foundations as the ancient kingdom of Urartu to the modern-day Republic – Gaïdz Minassian moves past the massacres embedded in the Armenian psyche to position the nation within contemporary global politics.
An in-depth study of history and memory, The Armenian Experience examines the characteristics and sentiments of a national identity that spans the globe. Armenia lies in the heart of the Caucasus and once had an empire – under the rule of Tigranes the Great in the first century BC – that stretched from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas. Beginning with an overview of Armenia’s historic position at the crossroads between Rome and Persia, Minassian details invasions from antiquity to modern times by Arabs, Mongols, Ottomans, Persians and Russians right up to its Soviet experience, and drawing on Armenia’s post-Soviet conflict with Azerbaijan in its attempts to reunify with the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
This book questions an Armenian self-identity dominated by its past and instead looks towards the future. Gaïdz Minassian emphasises the need to recognise that the Armenian story began well before the Genocide 1915, and continues as an on-going modern narrative.
By:
Gaidz Minassian
Imprint: I B TAURIS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Weight: 450g
ISBN: 9780755600748
ISBN 10: 0755600746
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 06 August 2020
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Part I: Memory and History of a Domination Chapter 1: International domination Chapter 2: Political and religious domination Chapter 3: Socioeconomic domination Part II: Attempts to break from the History Chapter 1: The Revolutionary movement, 1878-1914 Chapter 2: Finding a new historicity to a fragmented identity, 1920-1988 Chapter 3: Rebirth of a sovereign state, 1988-1998 Part III: Power of Memory Chapter 1: Glory and misery of the cultural haitadist revolution Chapter 2: The Armenian State’s memory politic, 1998-now Chapter 3: Turkey, an exceptional case of negationism Part IV: Beyond the Genocide Chapter 1: Democratisation of the identity Chapter 2: Voices and ways to dialog with the Turks Chapter 3: Supporting the international and scientific community’s engagement Conclusion Bibliography Acknowledgment
Gaidz Minassian is a French journalist at the daily Le Monde. He holds a PhD in Political Science, is a teacher at Sciences Po Paris and serves as an international expert at the Center for International Research (CERI). He is the author of several books on international relations, the South Caucasus and Armenia.
Reviews for The Armenian Experience: From Ancient Times to Independence
Minassian's study is a fine example of an effort to define Armenian identity, and tacitly to question efforts to essentialize that identity. * Slavonic & East European Review * You are holding in your hands a masterfully written book on modern Armenian politics, culture and history. Gaidz Minassian's book is a great contribution and enrichment not only of our understanding of Armenian history, but also of recent developments in Armenia. This outstanding work will be one of the most important channels through which we learn about contemporary Armenian history culture and politics. * Taner Akcam, Professor of History and Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies, Clark University * Gaidz Minassian deals with a broad range of Armenian historical and political issues, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary times. His approach creates a stimulus for further deliberation, as he questions, when deemed appropriate, certain solidified traditional views and preconceived ideas and lays the groundwork for rational reconsideration and discourse. * Richard Hovannisian, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles, and Presidential Fellow, Chapman University, USA *
