FRESNO — The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) is set to celebrate a significant milestone, its 50th anniversary, with a three-day international conference at Harvard University and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) on September 13-15.
The SAS was founded in 1974 by scholars Richard Hovannisian, Robert Thomson, Nina Garsoïan, Dickran Kouymjian and Avedis Sanjian.
Entitled “Armenian Studies: Evolving Connections and Conversations,” the conference is co-sponsored by the Mashtots Chair in Armenian Studies (Harvard University); the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (Belmont, MA); the Promise Armenian Institute (University of California, Los Angeles); the Richard Hovannisian Endowed Chair in Modern Armenian History (University of California, Los Angeles); the Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies (University of California, Los Angeles); the Armenian Studies Program (California State University, Fresno); the Institute for Armenian Studies (University of Southern California); the Robert Aram and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies (Clark University); the Center for Armenian Studies (University of California, Irvine); the Center for Armenian Studies (University of Michigan, Dearborn); the Institute of Armenian Studies (University of Southern California); the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (Belmont, MA); the Armenian Studies Program (University of California, Berkeley) and the Armenian Research Center (University of Michigan, Dearborn).
More than 50 scholars from Armenia, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, England, Australia and the United States will participate in the three-day conference. The conference will deal with connections and conversation in Armenian Studies that include — but are not limited to — the study of diaspora, migration, and forced displacement; collective violence, trauma, memory, and genocide; race and ethnicity; women, gender and sexuality; environment; transnational and global mobility of people and ideas; art, architecture and material culture; print and other established and emerging foci.
“The Society of Armenian Studies was founded upon the conviction of the vital need to cultivate and support scholars and students of Armenian Studies,” said Prof. Christina Maranci, the president of SAS and the holder of the Mashtots Chair in Armenian Studies at Harvard University.” “The 50th anniversary is a moment not only to celebrate how far we have come but also to reflect on where we stand and to explore directions for the future of the field,” she continued.
The first day of the conference includes a reflection on the Society’s 50-year history and recognition of the contributions of eminent scholars who have passed away. These scholars include Robert Thomson, Avedis Sanjian, Robert Hewsen, Nina Garsoïan, Sirarpie Der Nersessian, Lucy Der Manuelian, George Bournoutian, Anahide Ter Minassian, Louise Nalbandian, Richard G. Hovannisian, Dennis Papazian and Vahakn N. Dadrian.
