TORONTO — The Zoryan Institute announced recently the publication of a special issue of Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, edited by guest editor Dr. Sarah Wilson, head of Sociology, Social Policy, and Criminology at the University of Stirling.
The issue, titled “The Republic of Armenia: Migration and Diaspora in Times of Threat and Uncertainty,” explores Armenia’s unique position in global migration debates and raises pressing questions about displacement, belonging, and the future of the Armenian nation in parallel with global migration experiences, highlighting new perspectives on Armenian identity and belonging.
Wilson explains that Armenian identity has always been profoundly transnational. “Being Armenian is a very transnational identity because of the history of the genocide and the huge diaspora, which is very much still linked together through notions of that history, language, and religion,” she reflects. Yet this identity is layered and complex.
The collection of articles situates Armenia within larger debates on migration, challenging narratives focused solely on South-to-North flows. The welcoming of Syrian-Armenian refugees, as well as the influx of Russians, Belarusians, and even non-Armenian migrants to Armenia, illustrates Armenia’s changing place in the global migration landscape. Armenians arriving in the Republic from various regions of the globe often negotiate tensions between inherited images of homeland and the realities of contemporary Armenia.
In a brief interview with the Zoryan Institute, now available at the Zoryan Webinars on all major streaming services, Wilson emphasizes that Armenia and its diaspora remain critically understudied in international scholarship. “[Armenia] is a fascinating area of the globe, which is very little spoken about,” Wilson notes. By centering Armenia within broader conversations about migration and post-colonial identity, this collection highlights how Armenians navigate wars, forced displacement and evolving transnational belonging.
This issue addresses urgent developments, such as the September–October 2023 forced migration of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). Dr. Wilson stresses: “This has really been quite invisible in terms of international debate and concern. It is something we know the Armenians we spoke to felt very deeply.” She warns of the global silence surrounding these events, despite Armenia’s increasing geopolitical importance.
