Mouradian Discusses Aleppo and the Impact of the Syrian War in AGBU WebTalks Video

The experience of Armenian communities in Syria is intricately and inseparably tied to the experience of all Syrians.

In the latest segment of the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) WebTalks series, former Armenian Weekly editor Dr. Khatchig Mouradian considers how the war has irreversibly altered the fabric of society in Aleppo and cities all around Syria and why this destruction of community life has had a profound impact not only on the Armenian communities immediately effected by the war but diaspora communities all around the world that have looked to it for intellectual and cultural nourishment.

Dr. Khatchig Mouradian is a visiting professor at the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS) at Columbia University. He has taught courses on imperialism, mass violence, human rights, concentration camps, urban space and conflict in the Middle East, and collective memory at Rutgers University, Worcester State University, and California State University-Fresno. He is the author of several articles and book chapters, including, most recently, “The Meskeneh Concentration Camp, 1915-1917: A case study of power, collaboration, and humanitarian resistance during the Armenian Genocide,” Journal of the Society of Armenian Studies, Vol. 24 (2015); and “Genocide and Humanitarian Resistance in Ottoman Syria, 1915-1916,” Études arméniennes contemporaines, Vol. 7 (2016).

The AGBU launched the AGBU WebTalks online video series last February. AGBU WebTalks aims to capture and preserve the insights of engaging, dynamic thinkers from around the world, speaking on a wide range of Armenian topics.

“With these short videos, AGBU WebTalks seeks to create a rich repository of knowledge and provide easy access to reliable information to meet the demands of an increasingly connected and visual world. This new platform will bring together expertise on Armenian topics in one easily accessible online resource,” AGBU said in a statement at the launch of the series.

The video of Mouradian’s talk can be viewed below.