The Armenian Experience: From Ancient Times to Independence

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Armenian national identity has long been associated with what has come to be known as the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Immersing the reader in the history, culture and politics of Armenia from its foundations as the ancient kingdom of Urartu to the modern-day Republic Gadz Minassian moves past the massacres embedded in the Armenian psyche to position the nation within contemporary global politics. An in-depth study of history and memory, The Armenian Experience examines the characteristics and sentiments of a national identity that spans the globe. Armenia lies in the heart of the Caucasus and once had an empire under the rule of Tigranes the Great in the first century BC that stretched from the Caspian to the Mediterranean seas. Beginning with an overview of Armenias historic position at the crossroads between Rome and Persia, Minassian details invasions from antiquity to modern times by Arabs, Mongols, Ottomans, Persians and Russians right up to its Soviet experience, and drawing on Armenias post-Soviet conflict with Azerbaijan in its attempts to reunify with the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. This book questions an Armenian self-identity dominated by its past and instead looks towards the future. Gadz Minassian emphasises the need to recognise that the Armenian story began well before the Genocide 1915, and continues as an on-going modern narrative.

Reviews

Minassians study is a fine example of an effort to define Armenian identity, and tacitly to question efforts to essentialize that identity. * Slavonic & East European Review *
You are holding in your hands a masterfully written book on modern Armenian politics, culture and history. Gadz Minassians book is a great contribution and enrichment not only of our understanding of Armenian history, but also of recent developments in Armenia. This outstanding work will be one of the most important channels through which we learn about contemporary Armenian history culture and politics. * Taner Akam, Professor of History and Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies, Clark University *
Gadz Minassian deals with a broad range of Armenian historical and political issues, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary times. His approach creates a stimulus for further deliberation, as he questions, when deemed appropriate, certain solidified traditional views and preconceived ideas and lays the groundwork for rational reconsideration and discourse. * Richard Hovannisian, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles, and Presidential Fellow, Chapman University, USA *

Author Bio

Gadz Minassian is a lecturer in International Relations at Sciences Po, Paris Institute of Political Studies and a research associate at the Fondation pour la Recherche Scientifique (FRS) in Paris. He has been writing for Le Monde since 2001 and has published many books on the politics of Armenia and the Caucasus.