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HISTORICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF WESTERN ARMENIA ON THE EVE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Part seven: South-eastern districts of Bitlis vilayet

Summary

Gegham M. Badalyan

Keywords – Aznvatsdzor, Tatik, Khizan district, KhizanGyavrner, Shenadzor, Sparkert, Mamrtank, Upper Karkar, Sgherd city, Barvari, Vozm township, Shirvan Arvakh-Eruh.

The article presents the southeastern administrative units of Bitlis Vilayet: small districts (in Turkish – nahiye) of Bagesh city – Aznvadzor, Tatik, Parkhand, Khultik-Nagia and Shatakh, which were under the direct governor control, the province of Khizan in full (with central districts Khizan-Gyavrner, Shenadzor, Sparkert, Mamrtank and Lower Karkar), sanjak’s center with the same name – Sgerd city and Barvar province, Shirvan province, and Arvakh or Eruh under Sgherd’s governor control (in Turkish – mutasarrif), where on the eve of the First world war I Armenians made up the vast majority (50% or more). Such administrative units were Aznvatsdzor and Tatik (Baghesh’d central region), as well as Khizan’s districts – Shenadzor, Sparkert, Mamrtank. And in Parkhand and Lower Karkar Armenians constituted the majority of the population (above 70%). Unfortunately, in this part of the Bitlis vilayet one could also meet the areas cleared of Armenians that was a result of the influx of new nomadic Kurdish tribes from northern Mesopotamia in the 1st half of the 19th century. The Kurdish national movement, led by Bardkhan in the 1840s, and the Ottoman State’s powerful military retaliation in response also played no less negative role. Moreover, it was fatal also for semi-independent Armenian authorities surviving in these areas. As a result, many parts of the provinces Khizan and Tsgherd were filled mainly by Kurds.

THE ONE, WHO TURNS FAIRY TALE TO REALITY – 2016-4

In memory of Ruben Hovsepyan

Summary

Key words – Ruben Hovsepyan, genre obituary, translation, Gabriel Garcia Markuez, One hundred years of solitude, Sovietarmenian prose, magical realism Taguhi A. Ghazarian

In the article “The one, who turns fairy tale to reality” Taguhi Ghazarian gives the general description of Ruben Hovsepyan’s work. It is not classic obituary, but there we can see the main work and creation of the R. Hovsepyan. First of all the author of the article considers Hovsepyan as translator of Gabriel Garcia Markuez’s “One hundred years of solitude”. She thinks that this work had a great effect on Armenian magical realism and on literature of this period. There are also the question of Hovsepyan’s work’s “artistic” time and “ideological” time. Then we can see how Hovsepyan’s works were interpreted as works about Armenia and Armenians and how we can change this interpretation.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE ORIGIN AND INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM “POLITICAL CULTURE” – 2016-4

Summary 

Lyudvig G. Vardanyan Khachik A. Makyan

Key words – political culture, political system, political institution, politics, political consciousness, political orientation, political behavior.

The article deals with various questions of the origin and use of the term “political culture”, and the interpretation of the scientific concept. It presents the emergence of political culture, its separation as a kind of human culture associated with systemic knowledge about governance, policy and political life of society. The term “political culture” was first used by Johann Gerdeom in the second half of the 18th century, but in the modern Western political science literature it was first used by American political scientist Herman Finer. However, the theoretical basis and the complete concept of political culture were presented by American political scientists Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba in the 50-60-ies of the twentieth century. The paper attempts to introduce various interpretations of political culture systematically.

THE GREAT TRAGEDY OF HOVHANNES KAJAZNUNI – 2016-4

Part one. From smenovekhov distortions to Stalin’s persecution

Summary

Ararat M. Hakobyan

Keywords – smenovekhovstvo, N. Ustrialov, NEP, H. Kajaznuni, Armenian Question, reconstruction, national inclination, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Kh. Mughdusi, A. Ghazaryan, pro-Soviet position, backstroke.

Hovhannes Kajaznuni’s name in Armenian political history is sometimes identified not with his position of the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia, but with the brochure “ARF has nothing to do”, published in Bucharest in 1923, which, together with the added word “else” of the Bolshevik propaganda machine has been used as a kind of anti-Dashnak “manifesto” for 70 years.

At critical moments of history, even the most confident politicians may be in despair, it’s quite common in world history and in the history of Armenia as well. This is evidenced by the desire of reconciliation and acceptance of the Soviet regime in the 1920s. Hovhannes Kajaznuni and some other figures fell in this trap, expressing desire to get away from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, to return home and take an active part in its reconstruction. It was an expression of the ideology of reconciliation with Bolshevism typical for Smenovekhovtsy – Russian émigré circles in the Armenian reality.

Hovh. Kajaznuni thought that in the new conditions the ARF Dashnaktsutyun should leave the political arena and the main role should be given to the Armenian Communist Party, so that the country was restored with the help of the Soviet state and the Armenian issue was resolved. But A. Ghazaryan, who saw the salvation of the Armenian people only by Russia, supports the view that ARF Dashnaktsutyun has much to do to rebuild the country, solving the issue of refugees and other issues. The book by Kajaznuni was an attempt to review the vibrant and fruitful activity of ARF Dashnaktsutyun in 1914-1923, followed by his controversial assessments and conclusions. Most of Kajaznuni’s judgments about historical events were based on assumptions. In fact, to return home and rejoin his family he needed a “political pass”, and the Bolsheviks that were preparing the “self-destruction” of ARF Dashnaktsutyun, needed this book entitled “ARF Dashnaktsutyun has nothing to do”.

k entitled “ARF Dashnaktsutyun has nothing to do”. However, since his arrival in Armenia the public security organs closely followed Kajaznuni, even his daily personal life. Dark clouds gradually deepened overhead Kajaznuni, especially in the 1930s.

On July 28, 1937 People’s Commissar of Internal Affairs Kh. Mughdusi signed a warrant for the search of Kajaznuni apartment and his arrest. On December 5, 1937 the NKVD troika ASSR signed the death sentence against Kajaznuni, the former prime minister and an active member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, with the confiscation of personal property. But on the advice of the prison doctor, who diagnosed tuberculosis, the execution of the sentence was postponed. A short time later, on January 15, 1938 Hovh. Kajaznuni, the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia died in the prison hospital at the age of 70 years.

As a result of the application of well-known methods of Soviet intelligence, many political opponents were affected by smenovekhovstvo’s ideology and gave speeches and wrote books in favor of reconciliation with the Bolsheviks, among them Snar Snaryan (Narinyan), Sahak Chitchyan, Arshak Ghazaryan, Gerasim Atajanian Harutyun Budaghyan, Sahak Torosian and others, most of which subsequently suffered the tragic fate of Hovh. Kajaznuni.

THE LEGAL STATUS OF ARMENIANS IN FRESNO COUNTY (1880-1920) – 2016-4

Summary

Hasmik M. Yesayan

Key words – discrimination, nativism, restrictive covenants, immigration policy, natives, “undesirables”, racial classification, citizenship.

This article makes an attempt to investigate the legal status of the Armenians settled in Fresno, California in the 1880-1920s in the context of national policies of the United States. The Nativism, an Anglo-Saxon influential movement, formed in 19th century was aimed at maintaining racial purity, and the United States government adopted a variety of different laws for that purpose. The most essential of these laws was the law on refugee citizenship, which was accompanied by discussions about the ethnic origins and the refugees deprived of the rights came across serious obstacles in all of the legal and social fields and the immigration restricting laws of 1921-1924s, which resulted in significant reduction of the Armenian immigration to the United States, including California, Fresno.

The article discusses the origin and the reasons of the national discrimination against the Armenians in Fresno County, caused by nativism, as well as the inter-ethnic relations between the Armenians and the natives. It reveals the restrictive covenants, which were aimed at «undesirables», including Armenians. These laws created complications and obstacles for the Armenians in their new homeland, Fresno.

ALEXANDER GRIBOYEDOV AND THE IMMIGRATION OF PERSIAN ARMENIANS IN 1828-1829 – 2016-4

As a subject of Azeri and Russian historical-fictional workouts

Summary 

Vahram R. Simonyan

Keywords – Nikita Mikhalkov, Azerbaijani falsifications, Turkmanchai agreement, A. Griboyedov, Heraclius II, P. Tsitsianov, relocation, Russian Cossacks, Nerses Ashtaraketsi, E. Lazaryan, Immigration Committee, I. Paskevich.

The article examines the policy of the Russian government, regarding the relocation of Persian Armenians due to Turkmenchay agreement and the involvement of the Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov. The author shows that the relocation of the Persian Armenians is their return to their historic homeland from which they were deported during the reign of Shah Abbas in the early 17th century.

During the Russian­Persian war of 1826­1828, after the failure of the policy of resettlement of 80,000 Little­Russian Cossacks, the Russian government accepts the proposals of the Armenian figures (Lazarevs) and organizes the resettlement of the Persian Armenians.

We’ve presented the efforts and huge practical and advocacy contribution in this process of Georgian Armenians eparch ­ Nerses Ashtaraketsi, colonel E. Lazaryan, M. Argutyan­Dolgorukiy and others. The efforts of the above­mentioned figures have not received a proper assessment by the commander of the Caucasian Corps I. Paskevich, because of the machinations of which Alexander Griboyedov was among the officials carrying out thorough inspection of E. Lazaryan, the head of the Committee for the resettlement of the Persian Armenians.

As it is well­known, in the Soviet historiography in the research process of Persian Armenians’ migration a great importance was attached to the role of Alexander Griboyedov. But historical facts show that A. Griboyedov was only the executor of the will of central government and had little sympathy for the Armenians. Meanwhile Soviet mythmaking made Griboyedov the savior of longsuffering people. Modern Azerbaijani historiography, which is based on the ridiculous concept of Armenians «being newcomers» in Eastern Armenia, seeks to use Soviet mythmaking about Griboyedov­armenofile for their own purposes. Another manifestation of it is the attempt to win over to his side the famous Russian director N. Mikhalkov and remove the serial film about Griboyedov. The aim of this venture is the justification of the invented concept of «Western Azerbaijan», whose demographic face was contorted by the resettlement of Armenians from Persia and the Ottoman Empire.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RAFFY SARKISSIAN’S ARTWORKS – 2016-4

Summary

Shushanik G. Zohrabyan

Key words – Raffy Sarkissian, national roots, sculptures, perception, artistic language, letters, symbols.

To understand Raffi Sarkisian’s art it is important to consider the matters connected with national thinking and expression of artistic language. The titles of his works remind the meaning of thoughts and emotions invested in them. There are key themes in Sarkissian’s artworks: the individual and society, human being and nature, the Armenian Genocide. Bronze sculptures reveal a very spiritual and emotional depth. Branches of trees, plants, roots, leaves, frequently used typical characteristic elements, symbols that help the revelation of image, making an inseparable part of his artistic language. Deeply national sculptures represent the language of the world art, and are a part of this family.

HISTORICAL-PHILOSOPHICAL AND POLITICAL VIEWS OF VAHRAM RABUNI – 2016-4

Summary

Seyran A. Zakaryan

Kay words – Vahram Rabuni, Historiography of Middle Ages, History of Philosophy, History of Armenia, Church, Historical Memory, Godliness, Legitimacy of State, Inheritance law.

This article demonstrates that the central idea of historical-philosophical and political views of the 13th century outstanding philosopher and politicalstate actor Vahram Rabuni is the fortification and strengthening of the Armenian statehood of Cilicia. Rabuni “revolutionizes” the structures of historical memory and national identity and puts both historical investigation and the understanding of events of his time for the increase of legitimacy and social authority of the state and not the church. He stresses the importance of preconditions of statehood perseverance (legitimacy, godliness, and wise application of authority), moreover he highlights the creation of a united front of Christian churches, solidarity of all social classes and activities contributing to improvement of statehood. Unlike many Medieval thinkers, Rabuni subordinates spiritual power to worldly power by ascribing ancillary function to the religious class and requiring that the church pay taxes to the state.

TEXT VARIANTS AND RUSSELL’S PARADOX – 2016-4

Summary

Ashot S. Abrahamyan

Key words – Text, variant, interpretation, space, author, reader, abridgment, addition, sequence, set.

Alongside with a multitude of merely semantic interpretations, the text’s space characteristics – volume and sequence of the read text parts, act as important factors favoring the emergence of alternative versions of the text. Abridgement and addition are the two main text volume changes. Replacement is not an elementary procedure; it is a local combination of abridgement and addition. Additions can be classified by a number of criteria: by their author, level of their closeness to the original text and by their content correlation with it. The author’s text bears the opportunity of creating an infinite number of reader variants. Hence, it can be characterized as a macrotext, on the basis of which individual manifestations – reader microtexts can be formed. The text appears as a variety of diverse texts, and thus can be called polytext. There arises a situation like the one in Russell’s paradox. However, if the logical and mathematical solutions to Russell’s paradox lead to its elimination, the theory of text can take a different approach, recognizing the text’s paradoxicality as one of its characteristic features.

CHARACTERS OF BIBLICAL WOMEN IN WORLD LITERATURE – 2016-4

N. Mailer, J. Saramago, A. Burgess, N. Kazantzakis

Summary

Haykanush A. Sharuryan

Key words – Virgin, Mary Magdalene, Salome, Jesus, prototype, medieval, Bible, Norman Mailer, José Saramago, Anthony Burgess, Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Jung, gnostic, character, symbol.

The presented article is devoted to the comparative study of novels by world- known four authors – American novelist Norman Mailer, English writer Anthony Burgess, Portuguese author José Saramago and Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis: all novels have biblical themes (“The Gospel According to the Son”, “Man of Nazareth”, “The Gospel According to Jesus”, “The Last Temptation of Jesus”). Here are mainly presented unique literary personification and deeply humane nature of three heroines – Virgin, Mary Magdalene and partially Salome.