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Varak Ketsemanian
Varak Ketsemanian is a graduate of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the University of Chicago’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies (2014-2016). His master’s thesis titled “Communities in Conflict: the Hunchakian Revolutionary Party 1890-1894” examines the socio-economic role of violence in shaping inter-communal and ethnic relations by doing a local history of the Armenian Revolutionary Movement in the Ottoman Empire. Ketsemanian’s work tackles problems such as the development and polarization of mainstream historiographies, inter-communal stratifications, nationalism, and the relationship of the Ottoman State with some of its Anatolian provinces. He is currently completing a PhD at Princeton University, where his doctoral dissertation will focus on the social history of the National Constitution of Ottoman Armenians in 1863, and the communal dynamics/mechanisms that it created on imperial, communal, and provincial levels. Ketsemanian’s research relates to the development of different forms of nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries, revolutionary violence, and constitutional movements.
Latest posts by Varak Ketsemanian (see all)
- Memoirs of a Soldier: Bedros Haroian’s recollections of the Great War available in English - September 1, 2022
- Armenia a Century on: Lessons in Challenging the Status Quo - May 28, 2018
- The First Republic as Turning Point for the Armenian Nation: A Conversation with Professor Richard G. Hovannisian - May 28, 2018
Raffy Ardhaldjian
Raffy Ardhaldjian is a finance/technology professional and Diasporan Armenian political thinker with an engaged history in social entrepreneurship in Armenia since independence through his family foundation, the Ani & Narod Memorial Foundation. He holds graduate degrees from the Fletcher School of law and diplomacy and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Latest posts by Raffy Ardhaldjian (see all)
- The Missing National Discourse on Reopening the Economy, Making Choices and Learning from COVID-19 in Armenia - April 29, 2020
- A Century after the Progressive First Republic, It’s Time to Criminalize Domestic Violence in Armenia - November 28, 2017
- Beyond Nationalism: The Case for Engaged Patriotism on the Eve of the 100th Anniversary of Statehood - July 3, 2017
This article makes a very compelling case, but sidesteps the elephant in the room–Russia, which also has no progressive political values. Armenia’s leadership in Yerevan serves at Putin’s pleasure as they syphon financial and natural resources away from Armenia’s citizens via taxes, bribery, foreign aid skimming, and back room deals. The criminal oligarchs still run the country with impunity and the government uses the “enemy” and threat of anihilation to keep the status quo. Armenian political life is rotten from top (Kremlin) to bottom. Good luck with that, ARF. You made a deal with the devil thinking that you could be a counterweight. But just like 100 years ago, the first republic needed Russia for protection and succumbed just to keep a semblance of nominal statehood. Why haven’t the authors addressed this obvious parallel? History repeats itself and so do the flawed solutions. Being self sufficient economically, politically and militarily without interference from Mother Russia is the challenge of the times.
Two excellent visionaries. Nationalism is not stable in these globalized societies. Even Armenians find themselves spread around with their different career interests, and in other international communities with different values. I remember a course offered at York University in Toronto, titled “Imagined Societies” which refuted the idea of fictional nationalism.
We have to come up with different values for unity, which will help the entire communities in Armenia and in the diaspora to build up the nation. Right now we are only “clapping” for leaders, who have nothing to say except their rhetoric. They have made themselves elites by constantly alienating others with their ideas.
Thank you for an excellent research.
Well said. Now we need a plan of action that is very specific and to the point..
If ARF claims to be a nationalist party + the facts that it is in power at least half of the years of the Third Republic + the statement of the quthors that Armenian nationalism was unable to create… (the three points mentioned in the article), I deduce that not the Republic of Armenia is a failed state, but the ARF and the first violin, the Republican Party of Armenia both are FAILED PARTIES. The Armenian State almost two decades is dying during the governance of these two pseudo-nationalist parties. ARF is invited to do open and sincere self-criticism. Most of the population of RA are cursing the above-mentioned and corrupt political parties which have been turned to mafiosi gangs sucking the blood of the nation in the Homeland.
Very good article Good job…
Most diasporans have a skewed vision of Armenia, either too positive or too negative. At least this article had a more realistic viewpoint for a change. Calling Ron Paul a populist idealogue raised a red flag though, and makes me question the credibility of the authors. Ron Paul is a physician that served 23 years in congress, and warned about the dangers of uncontrolled spending of U.S. taxpayer money by government, especially in defense spending. I cannot fathom how being elected for over two decades is populist, or how advocating for something as practical as balanced budgets makes one an idealogue.