Dr. Arman Grigoryan, currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, will give a lecture entitled “The Rocky Road of Armenian-Turkish Normalization: Before and After the Protocols,” on Thurs., Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lindsay Rogers Common Room (Room 707) of the International Affairs Building at Columbia University, on 420 West 118th St. in New York. The lecture will be sponsored by the Columbia University Armenian Studies Program, the Armenian Center at Columbia University, the Middle East Institute at Columbia University, and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).
The signing of the protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey have been hailed as a watershed event. After all, the relationship between Armenians and Turks has been one of the most hostile relationships in the world since at least World War I. Therefore, the signing of the protocols was bound to generate some significant reactions. This presentation will aim to understand the history of criticisms against normalization, current political shifts within the government of Armenia, and the prospects of the protocols’ success.
At the University of Michigan, Grigoryan has a joint affiliation with the political science department and the Armenian Studies Program. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University in 2008 after defending his dissertation on the role of third parties in the escalation of state-minority conflicts. He also holds an MA from the University of Chicago in international relations, and an undergraduate degree from the Yerevan State University, where he majored in Turkish studies.
Grigoryan’s publications have appeared in “Ethnopolitics,” “International Security,” “Armenian Journal of Public Policy,” and the French “Chaillot Papers.” His article on the escalatory potential of third-party interventions will appear in “International Studies Quarterly” next year. Prior to his academic career, Grigoryan worked in the first independent government of Armenia as an expert on Turkish affairs.
For more information about the lecture, contact Nanor Kebranian by emailing nk@columbia.edu or calling (212) 851-4002, or by contacting NAASR by emailing hq@naasr.org or calling (617) 489-1610.
Will Dr. Grigoryan include comments/opinion about Turkey, as a gesture of goodwill, returning Mt. Ararat to Armenians? With the emotion-filled symbolic value associated with this Mountain, the positive impact of such a giving will be immense and Turkey will steal the hearts of – I venture to say, all Armenians. The Mountain does no particular good to Turkey but it means a lot to Armenians.
The event notice contains many pro-US/Armenian government phrases:
The signing of the protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey have been hailed as a watershed event. After all, the relationship between Armenians and Turks has been one of the most hostile relationships in the world since at least World War I. Therefore, the signing of the protocols was bound to generate some significant reactions. This presentation will aim to understand the history of criticisms against normalization, current political shifts within the government of Armenia, and the prospects of the protocols’ success.
What are the co-sponsors thinking?
Do they want the anti-Armenian protocols to “succeed”? Do they want Armenians not to “criticize” against fake normalization and reconciliation with genocidal Turkey?
I will not be attending this event and will discourage others from attending as well.
Unfortunately, ‘Armenian Weekly’ chose not to publish my previous post explaining why this newly-cooked Doctor Grigoryan is being allowed to trumpet pro-US/pro-Serj government arguments for the ill-fated protocols. Maybe the post contained some names with which Grigoryan is affiliated. I’ll try to omit them this time and see if this suits the moderators. Grigoryan is closely affiliated with the Armenian National Movement (HHSH), especially with one of its most fervent ideologues. Given the support that the US government has always extended to HHSH ideology with regard to Armenia’s rapprochement with Turkey short of Genocide recognition, Grigoryan from time to time emerges on the surface. He was allowed to complete his doctorate and teach in leading American universities.
Armen, I was disturbed by the language of the press release myself. What do you expect from Armenian Studies when its centers employ State Department language!
I agree that the attendance to this lecture should be discouraged in the Armenian-American community. Arman Grigoryan will basically herald certain brainwashing views that the government is trying to widespread using ethnic Armenians as influence agents. Given the tone and trend of the announcement it is obvious that his lecture serves the interests of certain government circles and the critical minority of protocol-sympathizers within the community. It’s astonishing how NAASR, a respectable institution devoted to academic research of Armenian issues, and known for their stance on the Genocide recognition could sponsor such an event without familiarizing itself of who the presenter really is.
I do not understand why my comments are being deleted. The organizations sponsoring this lecture have to explain to the public why they are doing this. The wording of the press release is only ONE of the problems associated with this event. The choice of the speaker and its timing are others…….
Angry Armenian, you’re not alone. Some of my comments are not being published although they contain no derogatory words, condescending tone, or veiled and not-so-veiled insults. If authors follow Armenian Weekly’s regulations, why aren’t their comments published?
Well, this is what the government does, guys. It’s as old as the world! By means of articles like David Davidian’s ‘Turkish-Armenian Protocols: Reality and Irrationality’ or pro-protocol lectures by Arman Grigoryan, they pursue two-fold goals. First, gradual dissemination throughout the community of ideas, views, and opinions favorable to the protocols; and second, they probe in the meantime as to how harsh the criticism of the protocols remains. Has it softened or more ‘work’ needs to be done to tilt the community to the acceptance of these humiliating documents. Well, it seems that the government folks don’t know the Armenians well… and I pity them.
Why is Grgoryan allowed to give a pro-US government lecture at an Armenian setting? The guy is known by his connections to Ter-Petrossian cohort with their anti-Armenian stance on the Genocide issue. Why is he being allowed to trumpet government propaganda on defeatist protocols at such institutions as Columbia and NAASR? If some forces hope to soften the Diaspora’s stance on protocols by means of such cheap measures, they make a grave mistake a priori.