Unpacking Armenian Studies
The USC Institute of Armenian Studies promotes scholarship that addresses national and global challenges; impacting policy, development, and progress.
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Language Therapy with Dr. K Has Moved
06/28/2023
Language Therapy with Dr. K Has Moved
Language Therapy with Dr. K which was hosted on this channel for the past 3 years now has its own separate chanel. Search and subscribe to the new channel wherever you get your podcasts to receive the upcoming episodes of the beloved podcast series!
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Language Therapy With Dr. K | The Toll of the Pandemic on Armenian Mother Guilt
03/31/2023
Language Therapy With Dr. K | The Toll of the Pandemic on Armenian Mother Guilt
What is Armenian mother guilt in the diaspora? How can a pandemic impact language dynamics in the home? Why is it that our professional expertise, competence, and training often disappear when it comes to things Armenian, our families, and our own children? Join Dr. K and Dr. Lori Mesrobian, USC professor of Spanish, as they discuss the extra complications of transmitting Armenian during the pandemic, the intense grief, disappointment, and shame associated with fears of loss, and the need for local and global language resources.
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | From Bazar to Belote: Language as Means to Play
12/14/2022
Language Therapy with Dr. K | From Bazar to Belote: Language as Means to Play
Are you up for a game of Belote? How did a French trick-taking card game gain such ubiquitous popularity both in Armenia and the diaspora? What is the special Armenian twist (hint: the bazar element) with its own language dynamics and social hierarchy? Though full of French, Turkish, and Russian words, why is it perceived as such an Armenian domain by players? Join Dr. K with research assistant and USC student Sarkis Tricha as they explore the roots and origins of Belote, the various game-specific terms used by speakers of Eastern and Western Armenian, the social dynamics and implications of the game, and the importance of using language as a means to play! For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Armenian(s) in Russia: A Case of Linguistic Plastic Surgery
11/07/2022
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Armenian(s) in Russia: A Case of Linguistic Plastic Surgery
How do immigrants navigate integrating into host societies while still maintaining an orientation toward the homeland? What is the role of language in that process? What if they live in a society with a colonial/imperial legacy? Dr. K is joined by UCLA PhD candidate Anatolii Tokmantcev as they discuss the formation of Armenian communities in Russia, how Armenians are conceptualized in the Russian imagination, the factors that contribute to the quick loss of the Armenian language, and so much more. Join them for a fascinating discussion on the salience of language in particular sociolinguistic contexts. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Failures of Language & Curious Hybrids
06/22/2022
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Failures of Language & Curious Hybrids
How do colonial and diasporic histories impact language dynamics? How do these forces manifest themselves in the case of curious hybrids or third-culture kids, the characterization author Nadia Owusu uses to encapsulate her Ghanian and Armenian-American heritage, through the lens of a child growing up in various international communities? Join Dr. K and Nadia Owusu as they discuss Aftershocks, Owusu’s powerful memoir, and use it as a springboard for topics such as colonialism, inherited languages, code-switching, accents, ownership, writing, and performing belonging. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | ¡Ask a Mexican!
06/02/2022
Language Therapy with Dr. K | ¡Ask a Mexican!
What happens when an alternative weekly in Orange County starts a column called ¡Ask a Mexican!, in which journalist Gustavo Arellano responds to reader questions about Mexican-American stereotypes in a satirical, wonderfully witty and informative manner? And he uses Spanish and Spanglish in almost every response? And it becomes so successful that it turns into a book? Join Dr. K and trailblazing LA Times columnist and author Gustavo Arellano as they use his work to talk about journalistic tropes and conventions, immigrant stereotypes and experiences, and of course, issues of language. For more, visit .
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Armenia & Europe: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/25/2022
Armenia & Europe: Ukraine, Armenia & War
What do Europe’s reactions to this war seem to be saying about what Europe will or won’t tolerate when it comes to aggression and war? Has Europe’s vision of a united Europe changed irrevocably? Will small countries like Armenia, Moldova and Georgia now be faced with even starker choices between Russia and the West? How will Europe’s relationships with the countries of the Caucasus change and can those changes benefit societies in the Caucasus? Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian speaks with Dr. Vicken Cheterian, writer, journalist, scholar and author of War and Peace in the Caucasus, and a lecturer at Webster University Geneva. This is Episode 11 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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The View From Turkey: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/23/2022
The View From Turkey: Ukraine, Armenia & War
How will Turkey’s military and diplomatic support to Ukraine — while disassociating from the Western campaign to limit Russia’s reach — determine its regional policies going forward? How will Armenia and Karabakh be impacted? How will negotiations regarding opening the Turkey-Armenia border figure into Turkey’s calculus for its role in the region? Amberin Zaman is a veteran Turkish journalist who has covered Turkey and the region for a variety of international publications. She is Senior Correspondent for . She speaks with Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian on the view of the Ukraine war from Turkey. This is Episode 10 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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When "Don't Irritate Russia" Became Regional Policy: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/19/2022
When "Don't Irritate Russia" Became Regional Policy: Ukraine, Armenia & War
USC Professor Robert English studies the USSR, Russia and Eastern Europe. Here, he discusses the perceptions and policies of the other former Soviet republics in light of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, with Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian. Russia’s intentions and possible encroachment (military, political and economic) on the other 13 republics, what might follow a cessation of hostilities, limited room to maneuver bilaterally with Russia, and the deepening of enmities exacerbated by this war, as well as similarities in use of violence against close populations – all of these impact Armenia, Georgia and their stability, security and sovereignty. This is Episode 9 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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The View From Iran: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/18/2022
The View From Iran: Ukraine, Armenia & War
Professor Ervand Abrahamian of City University of New York expresses his concerns about possible ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Iran. In a conversation with Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian, they talk about Iran’s relations with all of the regional actors – Georgia, Armenia, the Caucasus, Turkey - in light of the war and its possible outcomes. Is this a return to the Tsarist Russian vision for the neighborhood? This is Episode 8 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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Money Matters: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/17/2022
Money Matters: Ukraine, Armenia & War
Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian speaks with Varoujan Avedikian, an attorney and former General Counsel to Armenia’s Central Bank, on the economic and monetary challenges and opportunities immediately resulting from the Ukraine war. Energy and food security, imports and exports, banking and insurance services, are all impacted in expected and unexpected ways. This is Episode 7 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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Armenia’s Ambassador to Poland on Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/17/2022
Armenia’s Ambassador to Poland on Ukraine, Armenia & War
Armenia’s ambassador to Poland, Samvel Mkrtchian, is on the frontline with incoming refugees, and with an international community intent on finding a solution to the ongoing destruction of a country and a nation. He speaks with Institute Director and his former colleague at Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, Salpi Ghazarian, at length about international politics, power relations, and Armenia’s limited room to maneuver. This is Episode 6 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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Armenia’s Ambassador to Kyiv on Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/16/2022
Armenia’s Ambassador to Kyiv on Ukraine, Armenia & War
Armenia’s embassy in Ukraine was among the last to leave the capital and move to Lviv, near the western border. Ambassador Vladimir Karapetyan speaks with Institute Director and his former colleague at Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, Salpi Ghazarian, about the complexity of Armenia’s foreign relations and interactions with the diplomatic community in Ukraine; about what the embassy and staff are doing in the midst of war, including protecting church sculptures, and offering aid to refugees; and about the old and large (near 500,000) Armenian community of Ukraine, and their place within Ukrainian society. This is Episode 5 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. For more, visit .
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The Ukrainian Diaspora, at War: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/12/2022
The Ukrainian Diaspora, at War: Ukraine, Armenia & War
Dr. Dominique Arel of the University of Ottawa is a scholar of the Ukrainian Diaspora, which is active and effective in Canadian, and global pol. In a conversation with Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian, he presents an overview of the four waves of Ukrainian migration to Canada, and how each reinforced the identity and organizational capacity of those who had arrived earlier. The conversation focuses on responses to the war and the ability to mobilize the community’s as well as the host country’s – Canada’s – political resources. It ends with the question that has no answer – how do two neighbors go back to any sort of normality after such massive, unprovoked violence? This is Episode 4 of the limited series called Ukraine, Armenia, and War. For more, visit .
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Georgia, After Ukraine: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/11/2022
Georgia, After Ukraine: Ukraine, Armenia & War
Armenia and Georgia, both caught in the very narrow space between the policies and actions of Russia and those of the West, are responding in very different ways to the Ukraine war. Olesya Vartanyan, based in Tbilisi, Georgia, is International Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus region and the guest for Episode 3 of this limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War. The conversation, with Institute Director Salpi Ghazarian, is about a fractured region. For more, visit .
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What is Seen in Armenia: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/10/2022
What is Seen in Armenia: Ukraine, Armenia & War
How do Armenians in Armenia and Karabakh / Artsakh view similarities and differences in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan, and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia. What are the information flows? What do the first wave of immigrants from Russia and Ukraine want? How has Karabakh’s security been impacted? CivilNet’s Editor-in-Chief Karen Harutyunyan is the guest in Episode 1 of a limited series called Ukraine, Armenia & War, on the Russian invasion of Ukraine as seen from Armenia and the Caucasus. For more, visit .
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Questions of Sovereignty: Ukraine, Armenia & War
03/10/2022
Questions of Sovereignty: Ukraine, Armenia & War
Professor Ronald Suny, a leading scholar of Soviet, post-Soviet and Russian history, the Caucasus, nationalism and ethnic conflict, speaks about sovereignty and “organized hypocrisy” – for Ukraine, Armenia, Karabakh, Iraq, Kosovo or the Donbas region. Is there inviolability of borders? What is the value of ‘recognition’? This is Episode 2 of the limited series Ukraine, Armenia & War on the Russian invasion of Ukraine as seen from Armenia and the Caucasus. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Systems of Language
01/05/2022
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Systems of Language
How can the cultural influences and language dynamics of an immigrant household make its way to heavy metal and some of the most transformational music of its time? Going from an Armenian private school to sold out arenas around the world, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down talks to Dr. K about how growing up speaking both standards of Armenian sparked a mindset of adaptability and perseverance throughout his life and career. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Language(s) in Therapy
11/17/2021
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Language(s) in Therapy
How can a psychologist use language as a tool for healing, and as a method of traveling to times and locations often buried and distant in the past? If both therapist and patient are bilingual, how are language dynamics negotiated and experienced during therapy? In this episode, Dr. K sits down with clinical psychologist Mariam Vanounts to discuss the role of language(s) and non-verbal communication in various forms of therapy. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | CHEERIOS
10/04/2021
Language Therapy with Dr. K | CHEERIOS
While Cheerios are commonly known as a popular breakfast food, the term has taken on a life of its own in the Armenian American context, referring to a specific way a person speaks or behaves. In this episode, Dr. K talks to a number of young Armenian Americans and immigrants from Armenia to uncover this phenomenon and determine who exactly is a Cheerios and how that label is used. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | The Language of Priesthood in the Armenian Apostolic Church
08/13/2021
Language Therapy with Dr. K | The Language of Priesthood in the Armenian Apostolic Church
What does it take to become a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Church and what role does language play in the process? In this episode, Dr. K is joined by the Parish Priest of St. John Armenian Apostolic Church, Father Mesrop Ash, to explore the different roles within the Armenian Church and understand the various procedures and processes behind ordination. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Sounds of Multilingualism: The Case of Western Armenian
07/29/2021
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Sounds of Multilingualism: The Case of Western Armenian
What kind of influence can a dominant language have on a minority language? In this episode, Dr. K sits with linguist Dr. Niamh Kelly from the American University of Beirut to discuss why knowledge of one language, such as Arabic or English, can influence the sound system of Western Armenian. They also deconstruct different language myths regarding phonetics, accents, and “perfect” speech. For more, visit .
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Unpacking Armenian Studies with Dr. Pietro Shakarian
06/18/2021
Unpacking Armenian Studies with Dr. Pietro Shakarian
Who was Anastas Mikoyan? — Dr. Pietro Shakarian, a historian of Russia and the Soviet Union, discusses Anastas Mikoyan, often called the most influential Armenian in the Soviet Union — his life and his impact on Soviet history, from Lenin to Brezhnev, and on the development of Soviet Armenia. For more, visit .
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Language Therapy with Dr. K | Vernaculars of Armenian Dance
06/10/2021
Language Therapy with Dr. K | Vernaculars of Armenian Dance
Whether dancing at Armenian celebrations or watching Armenian dance companies perform on stage, it’s evident that the practice of Armenian dance is rich and diverse. In this episode, Dr. K sits with PhD student and dance practitioner Natalie Kamajian to define different types of Armenian dance and discuss what the discourse behind them says about how Armenian identity is performed. For more, visit.
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Unpacking Armenian Studies with Dr. Ümit Kurt
06/04/2021
Unpacking Armenian Studies with Dr. Ümit Kurt
Economics of genocide — Dr. Ümit Kurt, a historian of the modern Middle East, provides a rare look at economic factors as both cause and consequence of genocide. How and why did neighbors turn on neighbors? Because the financial incentives were great. Kurt, born in Aintab (Gaziantep), writes on the economics of genocide in his hometown. For more, visit . Publications: The Armenians of Aintab: The Economics of Genocide in an Ottoman Province (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2021) Co-edited with Ara Sarafian, Armenians and Kurds in the Late Ottoman Empire (CA: The Press California State University Fresno, 2020). Antep 1915: Soykırım ve Failler (Istanbul: İletişim, September 2018). “The Political Micro-Economy of the Armenian Genocide, 1915-1922,” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, vol. 20, no. 6, 2018, pp. 618-638. “Theatres of Violence on the Ottoman Periphery: Exploring the Local Roots of Genocidal Policies in Antep,” Journal of Genocide Research, vol. 20, issue 3, 2018, pp. 351-371. “The Curious Case of Ali Cenani Bey: The Story of a Génocidaire,” Patterns of Prejudice, vol. 52, issue 1, 2018, pp. 58-77. The Spirit of the Laws: The Plunder of Wealth in the Armenian Genocide, co-authored with Taner Akçam (New York: Berghahn Books, 2017). “Revisiting the Legal Infrastructure for Confiscation of the Armenian and Greek Wealth: A Political-Economic Analysis of the CUP Years and the Early Modern Republic,” Middle Eastern Studies, vol. 53, issue 5, 2017, pp. 700-723.
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After War - Before Peace: What about the EU and the US?
05/24/2021
After War - Before Peace: What about the EU and the US?
The After War - Before Peace series began in November with Ambassador Steven Mann, of the American diplomatic service. Now, more than a dozen episodes later, it comes to a close with Ambassador Marc Pierini, a veteran of the EU diplomatic service. Institute director Salpi Ghazarian and Focus on Karabakh editor Emil Sanamyan speak with Ambassador Pierini, who is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, where his work focuses on developments in the Middle East and Turkey from a European perspective. In his decades as a career EU diplomat, one of his posts was as EU ambassador and head of EU delegation to Turkey (2006–2011) – what some would consider to have been the good years. Visit the Institute's to watch the conversation on video or listen to it in Armenian. For more, visit .
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After War - Before Peace: What About Georgia?
05/22/2021
After War - Before Peace: What About Georgia?
For decades, Georgia was the transit hub point from west to east. Now, Georgian press see Armenia as taking over that position. Is the regional relationship seen as a zero sum game in Georgia? How does all of this impact Georgia’s vision about its place in the region and the world? What does all this say about regional cohesion and is that even an aspiration by the countries of the region? Institute director Salpi Ghazarian and Focus on Karabakh editor Emil Sanamyan speak to Giorgi Kanashvili, head of the board for Tbilisi-based NGO, the Institute for the Study of Nationalism and Conflicts. He is also a research fellow at Democracy Research Institute and lectures at the Georgian American University and the International Black Sea University. Also joining the conversation is George Tumasyan, head of the "Ardzagank" Armenian community platform of Georgia aimed at political and civic participation. He is also the founder of the Caucasian Academy of Diplomacy. Visit the Institute's to watch the conversation on video or listen to it in Armenian. For more, visit .
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After War - Before Peace: What About Iran?
05/21/2021
After War - Before Peace: What About Iran?
Iran, which shares borders with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, has maintained neutrality in the Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh conflict throughout the years. The question is – now what? Institute director Salpi Ghazarian and Focus on Karabakh editor Emil Sanamyan speak about the reactions within Iran during the war, as well as the Iran/Armenia/Georgia vertical axis that now has several obstacles in its path and Iran’s existing and aspirational relations with Russia. Joining the discussion is Dr. Ervand Abrahamian, widely regarded as one of the leading historians of modern Iran, who is a distinguished professor of history at Baruch College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Dr. Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin, also joins the conversation. Azizi was an assistant professor of regional studies at Shahid Beheshti University (2016-2020) and a guest lecturer at the department of regional studies at the University of Tehran (2016-2018). Visit the Institute's to watch the conversation on video or listen to it in Armenian. For more, visit .
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After War - Before Peace: Instruments of Justice and Equity
05/20/2021
After War - Before Peace: Instruments of Justice and Equity
What are the instruments of justice and equity in the aftermath of the Second Karabakh War? What can the international organizations do? What conventions and statutes apply in this particular case? Salpi Ghazarian and Emil Sanamyan speak with Dr. Irina Ghaplanyan, a political scientist, climate negotiator and published author who served as Deputy Minister of Environment for the Republic of Armenia and is currently teaching at the American University of Armenia. They also speak to human rights lawyer Sheila Paylan, who spent more than 13 years working as a legal advisor for the United Nations at various international tribunals, including the Rwanda and ex-Yugoslavia Tribunals and the Khmer Rouge Trials, as well as with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She recently moved to Armenia to assist the government with the post-war transition. Visit the Institute's to watch the conversation on video or listen to it in Armenian. For more, visit .
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After War - Before Peace: Russia and Regional Security
05/18/2021
After War - Before Peace: Russia and Regional Security
Institute director Salpi Ghazarian and Focus on Karabakh editor Emil Sanamyan speak with Olesya Vartanyan, senior analyst of the South Caucasus region for the International Crisis Group. Based in Tbilisi, Vartanyan researches and produces reports on regional security issues in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, with a particular focus on breakaway regions. Founded in 1995, International Crisis Group is a field-based organization that does research and advocacy on preventing and mitigating deadly conflicts. Visit the Institute's to watch the conversation on video or listen to it in Armenian. For more, visit .
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