Articles by Lalai Manjikian

About Lalai Manjikian (31 Articles)

Lalai Manjikian holds a PhD in Communication Studies from McGill University (2013). She currently teaches in the Humanities department at Vanier College in Montreal. Lalai writes and teaches in the areas of human migration, refugee social exclusion and inclusion, the ethics of migration, media and migration, intercultural communication, and diaspora studies. She is the author of Collective Memory and Home in the Diaspora: The Armenian Community in Montreal (2008). Lalai writes a monthly column, titled “Scattered Beads” for the Armenian Weekly.

Manjikian: Ode to Aznavour

Start spreading the news: Aznavour is taking over Manhattan! An early gala celebrating Armenia’s 20th anniversary will take place in New York City on May 20 and will pay tribute to globally renowned songwriter and singer Charles Aznavour. Leaving my teenage years behind (something Aznavour [more...]

May 17, 2011 // 7 Comments

Power to the Medium, the Message, and the People

Like many people, I find myself gravitating increasingly towards the computer to get the news. I turn to Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates – all crammed in 140 characters. I sign in on Facebook to partake in mobilization campaigns and grassroots lobbying efforts. I then browse through news [more...]

March 4, 2011 // 0 Comments

Manjikian: A Letter to Zaruhi

Twenty-year-old Zaruhi Petrosyan became one of the latest victims of domestic violence in Armenia last month when she was viciously beaten to death by her husband and mother-in-law. Dear Zaruhi, It’s another hectic day, miles away from Armenia. The weather here is rainy and grey. I’m restless [more...]

November 10, 2010 // 8 Comments

Manjikian: Becoming Extinct? Armenian Schools in the Diaspora

I was born in arid land, a country where Armenian schools are as scarce as snow. Consequently, I was homeschooled by my mother with textbooks she had brought with her from Beirut. These lessons weren’t exactly my favorite way to spend time over the weekend because it interfered with my play. [more...]

September 16, 2010 // 7 Comments

Manjikian: Passages from the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora

“What is an ocean between us, we know how to build bridges.” —Claudia Jones My first encounter with Claudia Jones was a few years ago. I recently stumbled upon the article that first introduced me to her and still find her story to be fascinating and inspiring. As someone who is intrigued by [more...]

August 7, 2010 // 1 Comment

Manjikian: To Look Armenian (or Not)

Here in the North American hemisphere, we just welcomed the summer solstice, which means longer days of sunlight and the official beginning of vacation season. We have all felt that sense of liberation when taking off on a much-needed break. Less stress, the degree of anonymity that often comes [more...]

June 29, 2010 // 12 Comments

Manjikian: Beads Exposed

Once forcefully displaced, as post-genocide diasporans, we keep travelling across borders, moving from city to city and, in the process, establishing and sustaining multiple transnational networks and connections within professional and personal spheres. It’s just the way we roll, as scattered [more...]

June 7, 2010 // 2 Comments

Manjikian: When Beads Unite

Another April. Another swirl of genocide-related events, commemorations, and exhibits. Yet another year of denial. And alongside the political speeches and keynote speakers, every year the almost hundred-year-old black and white archival images resurface. I watch these grainy photo stills and jumpy [more...]

April 23, 2010 // 9 Comments

Manjikian: Accepting New Challenges

Much has been written about the connection between women and the nation over the course of world history. Symbols, words, and suggestive imagery have been used to equate women to territory, a nation’s future, and to other noble national ideals. Not surprisingly, the woman figure has been adopted [more...]

March 7, 2010 // 0 Comments

Manjikian: Responsible Nostalgia

In this post-protocols environment, it is a good time to put aside all lost illusions (if any) and, instead, focus on renewing nostalgic feelings that uphold the long-standing and long-distance relationship between the diaspora and the homeland. Luckily, Armenia is a natural producer of nostalgic [more...]

January 26, 2010 // 3 Comments

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