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About SAS

The Society for Armenian Studies

Current Status

The Society of Armenian Studies is composed of scholars and students (and some non-scholarly patrons of Armenian Studies). Its membership is international, although the overwhelming majority of members are based in the United States and Canada. The current (2003) Executive Council of the Society for Armenian Studies includes Barlow Der Mugrdechian, President; Simon Payaslian, Vice President; Levon Chorbajian, Treasurer; Houri Berberian, Secretary; along with council members-without-portfolio George Bournoutian, Christina Maranci, and Garabet Moumdjian.
The Secretariat of SAS is based at the Armenian Studies Program, 5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4, Fresno, CA 93740-8001. All correspondence should be directed to the above address attention Barlow Der Mugrdechian.

Aims

The aims of the Society for Armenian Studies are to promote the study of Armenian culture and society, including history, language, literature, and social, political, and economic questions; to facilitate the exchange of scholarly information pertaining to Armenian studies around the world; and to sponsor panels and conferences on Armenian studies.
The programs of the Society include publication of a Newsletter on the Society's activities and on current research on Armenia; publication of the Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, encouragement, sponsorship and publication of research on all facets of Armenian culture and society; and such other activities as the SAS council may from time to time determine.

History

The Society for Armenian Studies was founded in 1974 by a group of scholars from the universities of California, Columbia and Harvard on the initiative of Professor Richard G. Hovannisian. It is dedicated to the development of Armenian Studies as an academic discipline.
Since its inception, the Society has been incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has been granted tax-exempt, non-profit status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Membership

Any individual sharing the objectives of this corporation and engaged in research or study in the Armenian field, or who by the decision of the Executive Council is deemed capable of contributing to the Society's objectives, may become a member upon application and payment of annual dues.
Full academic membership (Regular, Retired and Student) entitles individuals:
• to vote in Society elections,
• to be elected to the Executive Council,
• to receive publications of the Society,
• to receive financial assistance toward expenses in presenting papers on Armenian Studies at professional gatherings, to the extent that resources of SAS allow (although one does not have to be a member to give a paper at a panel or have an article appear in JSAS)
Other forms of membership are available for scholars in non-Armenian fields (supporting membership), and for non-scholars who wish to financially support Armenological scholarship (donor and patron membership).
Beginning with an initial membership of 40, SAS currently has more than 200 members. These include most U.S. scholars who are directly and professionally involved in the teaching and research of all aspects of Armenian studies. Many scholars whose main interests lie outside of Armenian studies have also joined the Society.
While most members are from the United States, an increasing number of scholars from Canada, Europe and the Near East have joined SAS, finding it the most appropriate forum within which to relate to other scholars in the field and to keep informed of current developments in their areas of special interest.
While the majority of SAS members are senior and junior scholars, membership also includes graduate students pursuing advanced work in Armenian studies.
The present membership fee is $40 per year for regular and supporting members, $15 for students, $25 retired members, $40 for donors and $100 for patrons. Scholars residing in the Republic of Armenia may become regular members for a fee of $10 per year (does not include JSAS).

Activities

The Society organizes and sponsors panels on all aspects of Armenian studies at professional meetings, conferences and symposia. To date, it has organized annual panels at the annual Middle East Studies Association (MESA) conference, and in 1980 convened the first panel on an Armenian theme at the annual conference of the American Historical Association in Washington, D.C.
The Society co-sponsors symposia and conferences on Armenian studies, the teaching of Armenian subjects in institutions of higher learning, and the publication of texts useful to the discipline.
The Society normally meets each November in various cities in conjunction with the annual MESA conference.

Publications

The Newsletter of the Society is published three times a year and contains information on the activities of the Society, its members, the state of the field, recent discoveries, book notices, information on conferences relevant to Armenian studies (and not just SAS conferences), and listings of lectures and papers presented by members. The current editor is Robert Hewsen. Most back issues of the Newsletter are available for purchase (details in another section of the homepage).
The Annual Bibliography of Articles in Armenian Studies has been published three times since 1979 and contains articles published in all languages and all fields (except linguistics). All three volumes are available for purchase.
The Occasional Papers is a series undertaken in 1981 that features papers and lectures of interest to scholars but not year ready for formal publication. Six such papers are available for purchase.
In 1984, the Society inaugurated a Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies (JSAS), for scholarly articles and book reviews. Under the direction of its first editor, Avedis Sanjian, it was named the "best new journal" in 1985 by the Conference of Editors of Learned Journals. Dennis Papazian suceeded Dr. Sanjian as editor of JSAS and edited Volumes 6-11. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, as President of the SAS, served as interim editor for Volume 12. John Greppin and Peter Cowe are the current co-editors. Back issues of Volumes 2-12 are available for purchase.
The Reprint Series, launched in 1986, undertakes to reprint articles, documents and sections of books, etc., relevant to Armenian studies but difficult to find outside the largest libraries. Three such reprints are available for purchase.
The Society publishes a Roster of Membership which includes names, addresses, and the academic focus of its members with the hope of facilitating communication among them. The current roster is available for purchase.

Subscription

It is possible for any individual or institution to subscribe to the Newsletter ($10 per year) or JSAS ($20 per year) without joining the Society.
Affiliations
The Society for Armenian Studies is affiliated with the Middle East Studies Association, the American Historical Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, and the Association for the Study of Nationalities.

SAS Secretariat

Armenian Studies Program, 5245 N Backer Ave PB4, Fresno, CA 93740-8001. Telephone: 559-278-2669; FAX 559-278-2129; email: barlowd@csufresno.edu
Inquiries regarding membership and SAS publications should be forwarded to the SAS Secretariat. Membership and subscription fees should be made out to SAS, Inc. and likewise forwarded to the Secretariat.