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Abraham of Erevan:
History of the Wars
(1721-1738)
George Bournoutian has just published a new book entitled: Abraham of Erevan:
History of the Wars (1721-1738).
The work is an annotated
translation from the original eighteenth-century text prepared by the Mekhitarists
in Venice. It contains introductory notes, maps, illustrations, bibliography,
and index (Armenian Studies Series, Number 3). Mazda Academic Publishers,
1999, viii+112 pp., paper.
The History of the Wars, published for the first time in English, is one
of the few non-Persian primary sources on the history of Persia and Transcaucasia
in the first half of the eighteenth century. It details the Afghan
and Ottoman invasion and occupation of Persia and Transcaucasia, the efforts
of Shah Tahmasp II to restore the Safavid dynasty, the rise of Nader Khan
Afshar, Nader?s campaigns against the Afghans and the Ottomans, the restoration
of the territorial integrity of the Persian State, the coronation of Nader
Shah and the establishment of a new dynasty in Persia.
Unlike other contemporary sources, which concentrate on the political and
socioeconomic conditions of the region, Abraham?s history is an uninterrupted
account of the wars between the Persians and the Afghans, the Ottomans
and the Afghans, and the Persians and the Ottomans. Abraham was an
eyewitness to the Ottoman invasion of eastern Armenia and their siege of
Erevan. His account mentions individuals, events, and geographical
locations not detailed anywhere else.
The work?s greatest value, however, is its information on the Armenians.
Abraham?s detailed account of the Turkish invasion of eastern Armenia is
the sole source on the events that occurred in the region from March through
September 1724. He provides a vivid physical description of Erevan,
its various districts and neighborhoods, its churches and its citizens.
Abraham?s depiction of the resistance of the outnumbered Armenian volunteers
in fighting the larger and better equipped Ottoman army demonstrates that
after centuries of Islamic domination, the Armenians had gained enough
confidence to take up arms against the Muslims and to begin the Armenian
political revival of the eighteenth century.
To order contact Mazda Press: 3100 Airway Ave., Suite 137, Costa Mesa,
Ca. 92626
Studies in Comparative Genocide
Many of the world?s leading authorities in history, sociology, political
science and psychology shed new light on the major genocides of the 20th-century
in a new book from Macmillan Press of London. Titled Studies in Comparative
Genocide, the volume covers the genocides of the Armenians, Bosnians, Gypsies,
Jews, Rwandans, and Ukrainians, and also topics of genocide denial and
prevention. ?There is a particular emphasis on analyzing the comparative
aspects of genocide,? says co-editor Levon Chorbajian, both in the bringing
together of these excellent studies and in their actual content.?
Chorbajian is Professor
of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and Chairman of
the Board of Directors of the Zoryan Institute.
?These fourteen papers originated in a conference held in Yerevan in April
1995, which the Zoryan Institute co-sponsored with the Republic of Armenia?s
National Commission on the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide. The authors have had a chance to revise and update their papers
and now present them to the scholarly world.?
?Genocide has been called the crime of the 20th century, and the Armenian
Genocide is being increasingly recognized as not only the first genocide
of this century, but also an archetype for other genocides,? comments fellow
editor George Shirinian. ?The perspective of this book is so encompassing
that it could very well be used as a textbook for the study of genocide,?
he said.
The book is divided into three broad sections, ?Approaches to Genocide,?
?The Armenian Genocide,? ?Comparative Genocide, Genocide Denial and Genocide
Prevention.? The contents are listed below.
Roger W. Smith, ?State
Power and Genocidal Intent: On the Uses of Genocide in the Twentieth Century.?
Irving L. Horowitz,
?Science, Modernity and Authorized Terror: Reconsidering the Genocidal
State.?
Yehuda Bauer, ?Comparison
of Genocides.?
Rouben P. Adalian,
?A Conceptual Method for Examining the Consequences of the Armenian Genocide.?
James J. Reid, ?Philosophy
of State-Subject Relations, Ottoman Concepts of Tyranny, and the Demonization
of Subjects: Conservative Ottomanism as a Source of Genocidal Behavior,
1821-1918.?
Vahakn N. Dadrian,
?The Convergent Roles of the State and a Governmental Party in the Armenian
Genocide.?
Taner Akçam,
?The Genocide of the Armenians and the Silence of the Turks.?
Anush Hovannisian,
?Turkey: A Cultural Genocide.?
Helen Fein, ?Testing
Theories Brutally: Armenia (1915), Bosnia (1992), and Rwanda (1994).?
Ben Kiernan, ?Enver
Pasha and Pol Pot: A Comparison of the Armenian and Cambodian Genocides.?
Frank Sysyn, ?The
Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33: The Role of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Research
and Public Discussion.?
Henry R. Huttenbach,
?The Psychology and Politics of Genocide Denial: A Comparison of Four Case
Studies.?
Franklin H. Littell,
?Breaking the Succession of Evil.?
Ervin Staub, ?Preventing
Genocide: Activating Bystanders, Helping Victims Heal, Helping Groups Overcome
Hostility.?
Levon Chorbajian and
George Shirinian, eds., Studies in Comparative Genocide. London: Macmillan
Press, 1999, xxxv + 270p. ISBN 0-333-69302-7. Distributed in the US by
New York: St. Martin?s Press, Scholarly & Reference Division. ISBN
0-312-21933-4
Key Elements in the Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide: A Case Study of Distortion and Falsification
The Zoryan Institute is pleased to announce a new book by Vahakn Dadrian,
its Director, Genocide Research Project. Titled Key Elements in the Turkish
Denial of the Armenian Genocide: A Case Study of Distortion and Falsification,
this 92-page book is an expose of the methods and a rebuttal to the arguments
used by Turks and their apologists to deny the Armenian Genocide.
The initiative for this book came from an invitation by Representative
Steven Rothman of New Jersey, a member of the International Relations Committee,
to analyze a letter the Turkish Ambassador in Washington sent to every
member of Congress in May. In that letter, the Turkish Ambassador complains
about the efforts of some sixty Representatives to pass House Resolution
155, whose purpose is to collect all American documents ?related to the
Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure to enforce the judgments
of the Turkish courts against the responsible officials, and deliver the
collection to the House International Relations Committee, to the United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum for incorporation into its holdings of
official documentation on genocide and for purposes of public awareness
and education, and to the Armenian Genocide Museum in Yerevan, Armenia.?
The letter of the Turkish Ambassador contains eleven pages of genocide
denial and false allegations against the Armenians. In a swift response,
a 23-page analysis, titled, The Key Distortions and Falsehoods in
the Denial of the
Armenian Genocide. (A Response to the Memorandum of the Turkish Ambassador),
was prepared in June and distributed to all Congressmen. The current book
is an expanded and enhanced version of that report.
In his preface, Prof. Dadrian, underscores that ?The documentation of the
Armenian genocide is inextricably connected with the denial of the genocide
by its perpetrators. Any effort at documenting the Armenian genocide must
confront the Turkish denial syndrome.? That syndrome has now grown
into what I have described as an industry of denial.? In fact, genocide
denial is so prevalent that it is now becoming a field of study in its
own right. This book is a response that transcends the particularity of
the present case of denial and may well have application for other, future
manifestations of denial by Turkish authorities, their partisan advocates
and agents.?
This new book is an impressive display of meticulous scholarship. Using
incisive and cogent argumentation, as well as primary documentary evidence,
especially from Turkish and German sources, Prof. Dadrian deals with and
sets the record straight on such issues as, The Allegation of ?Inter-Communal
Clashes;? The Fallacy of the Argument of Armenian Rebellion; The Utter
Fiction of the Claim of Relocation; The Juxtaposition and Equating of Armenian
Losses with Turkish Warfare Losses; Hitler, the Holocaust, the Nuremberg
Trials and the Armenian Genocide; Raphael Lemkin, International Law and
the Armenian Genocide; The Relevance and Significance of the U.S. Archives;
The Crusade Against American Ambassador Morgenthau, and many other topics.
This is a compact work intended to confront and expose the fallacy of all
the principal features of the Turkish denial syndrome. As such, it is bound
to remain a potent weapon in the fight for truth and justice for a very
long time.
Vahakn N. Dadrian, Key Elements in the Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide:
A Case Study of Distortion and Falsification, Cambridge, MA and Toronto:
The Zoryan Institute, 1999, vi + 84 pages. ISBN: 1-895435-02-9.
The book may be ordered from: Zoryan Institute of Canada, 4211 Yonge Street,
Suite 230, Toronto, ON, Canada M2P 2A9, Zoryan Institute, 19 Day Street,
Cambridge, MA 02140.
People interested in knowing more about the Zoryan Institute, its work
and publications can call 617-497-6713 in the US or 416-512-8600, Ext.
113 in Canada, or e-mail zoryan@idirect.ca.
Bibliography of Cilician Armenia
This expanded Bibliography is considered as the first of its kind, compiled
in 17 Bibliographical Chapters. The Bibliography is an entrance for serious
studies of Armenian Cilicia and comprises an open window to the history,
civilization and culture of the Armenians in Cilicia in the past and present,
and named under the following titles:
Preface. Written by
the Armenian Archbishop of Iran.
Introduction (A study on the history and arts in Armenian Cilicia) Abbreviations
used in this Bibliography.
Armenian Alphabets
and transliteration key.
1. -Archaeology-Consists
of a list of 140 items of books or studies related to Armenian Cilician
Architecture.
2. -Archival Document-Archival
Documents: Armenia, France, Germany, Israel, Russia, UK, U.S.A, Turkey,
etc. (350 items).
3. -Arts-Civilization-Arts
& Civilization in Armenian Cilicia (175 items).
4. -Bibliography-Bibliographical
references and guides (300 items).
5. -Church-Liturgy-Full
list of all books or studies related to the history and liturgy of the
Armenian Church. Analytical studies (540 Items).
6.- Commerce-Trade-Trade
and Commerce of Armenian Cilicia with Europe and the East (270 items.).
7. -Published Documents-All
Published Documents related to Armenian Cilicia, from different International
Sources. (200 items).
8. -Geography-Geography,
Ethnography, Guides, landscape etc. (150 items)
9. -History-Studies-Extensive
and complete list of books and studies related to the history of Armenian
Cilicia, Armenia, the Crusades and neighboring countries (1450 items).
10. -Law-Charters-Laws,
Charters, legislative courts, and codes in Armenian Cilicia (200 items).
11. -Linguistic-Literature-Contains
complete list of linguistic and literary activities in Armenian Cilicia.
(300 items)
12. -Manuscripts-Paintings-Manuscripts
and the art of paintings and decoration in Armenian Cilicia (270 items).
13. -Massacres -Genocide-Includes
a complete list of all books, studies, analytical studies, historical investigations,
official documents, eyewitnesses for the (1)-Armenian Massacres of 1894-1896.
(2)-All accounts related to the Adana Massacres (Holocaust) during 1909-1910.
3. -The Armenian Genocide. Massacres and the Deportations of the Armenians
during the 1st World War, 1914-1923. (Complete list of 1500 items)
14. -Medical Studies-Medical
activities in Armenian Cilicia under the great Dr. of medicine Mekhitar
Heratsi. (50 Items)
15.-Numismatics-Coins-Numismatics
and coins in Armenian Cilicia, inscribed for the first times in Armenian
letters (200 items).
16.-Armenian Question-A
complete list of studies related to the Armenian Question, in Cilicia and
Armenia (600 items).
17. -Travels-Journeys-itinerary,
travels and researches related to Armenian Cilicia in the middle, and modern
times (300 items) Appendix I: Journals and periodicals used in this Bibliography,
(800 names of Journals and periodicals used).
Appendix II: Rulers
of Cilician Armenia and their minted Coins.
The Bibliography of Cilician Armenia is an illustrated book, which enhances
a list of more than 6500 items. Contains XXX + 420 (450) pages in folio.
Each page has 2 colons. The size of the book is 21.5 X 28 cm.
The Bibliography of
Cilician Armenia spans 500 years (1500-1998) and has a complete bibliographical
list of all published books or studies in various languages.
For orders please
contact the author: Bedros A. Tekeyan, 5235 Croissant Langevin, Laval-Quebec
(Canada), H7W-2E4.
Grant News
Fresno State Awarded
Grant to
Assist Armenia
Mr. Thomas McClanahan, Associate Vice-President for Grants and Research,
announced that Fresno State University was awarded a grant of $104,440
for the purpose of conducting a Faculty Development Program in Business
and Economics with Yerevan State University under the Newly Independent
States (NIS) College and University Partnership Program.
Fresno State professors will collaborate with Yerevan State University
Professors to develop curricula in the area of business and economics.
Project director for
Fresno State is Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program,
who applied for the grant, and Associate Project Director is Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program. Project co-directors
from Yerevan State University (YSU) are Rafael Matevossian, Pro-Rector
(Vice President) for International Relations and Grigor Gharibian, Dean
of the School of Business. The idea of the project arose out of discussions
between Der Mugrdechian and YSU officials in Yerevan.
The goal of the project is to contribute to the economic and political
stability in Armenia by fostering educational reform in the area of business/economics
at Yerevan State University. The program will enhance the expertise of
educators and business practitioners in the basic business and economic
principles that underlie all modern market economies. The program has been
designed to facilitate Armenia?s development as a technologically advanced,
democratic, and free-enterprise society.
Modern business practices
will be applied to real world problems by inviting local business practitioners
to the Yerevan State University campus for seminars, workshops, and demonstration
projects. By first observing and later participating in these seminars
for local businesses, the YSU faculty will gain insight into the nature
of business consulting.
As part of the Program, selected faculty from YSU will travel to Fresno
State to engage in a series of workshops and seminars on business practices
used in modern consulting. The advantages of establishing a business
center at YSU modeled on the University Business Center at Fresno State
will be discussed.
Fresno State faculty,
from the Sid Craig School of Business, will travel to Yerevan to provide
a series of short, intensive courses in core areas of instruction at Yerevan
State University.
The uses of internet and distance learning techniques will be encouraged
with students at both campuses becoming actively involved in distance learning
courses.
The duration of the
grant is from August 15, 1999 to August 15, 2000.
The project was assisted financially by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs of the United States Information Agency under the authority of
the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended.
The Academy for
Educational Development
announces the
National Security
Education Program
Graduate International
Fellowships
Competition 2000
(NSEP) Graduate International Fellowships enable U.S. graduate students
to pursue specialization in area and language study or to add an important
international dimension to their education. Created by Congress to address
the need to increase the ability of U.S. citizens to communicate and compete
globally, the NSEP embodies a recognition that the scope of national security
has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting
and promoting American well-being, but the new challenges of global society,
including: sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease
and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness.
NSEP Fellowships are intended to provide support through overseas study
and limited domestic tuition to students who will pursue the study of languages,
cultures, and world regions deemed critical to U.S. national security.
Excluded explicitly is study of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and
New Zealand. Fellowships are awarded in a broad range of academic and professional
disciplines including business, economics, history, international affairs,
law, applied sciences and engineering, health and biomedical sciences,
political science, and other social sciences. Award recipients incur a
requirement to work for an agency or office of the federal government involved
in national security affairs or in the field of higher education in an
area of study for which the fellowship was awarded, in that order of precedence.
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, enrolled in or applying to graduate programs
in accredited U.S. colleges or universities located within the United States.
All applications must include study of a modern language other than English.
To Apply: Guidelines and application forms for NSEP Graduate International
Fellowships may be obtained from our Web page at http://www.aed.org/nsep.
They also may be obtained by contacting AED at 800-498-9360 or 202-884-8285,
or by e-mail at nsep@aed.org.
Deadline: Applications
must be postmarked by January 15, 2000. No faxed submissions accepted;
late applications will not be reviewed.
