Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies June 2010 Issue: \”Armenians in America\”

The latest issue of the Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, Volume 19, Number 1, June 2010, was just published and includes five original articles covering our careful assessment of Armenians throughout the Americas. Much like earlier analyses that focused on Armenians in America, the five essays in this issue examine the origins and development of various communities in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay. The Society of Armenian Studies owes Nélida Boulgourdjian-Toufeksian a debt of gratitude for soliciting these contributions from colleagues throughout Latin America and ensuring their initial translations from Spanish and Portuguese into English.
In addition to Nélida Boulgourdjian-Toufeksian’s essay on “From the Ottoman Empire to Argentina: The reception of post-genocide Armenians—Immigrants or refugees?, the following papers add significant value to our knowledge too: Felipe Arocena and Adriana Topalian, on “Young Armenian-Uruguayans: Identity and participation in the community;” Carlos Antaramián on “Armenians in 1930’s Mexico City and April 24th Commemorations;” Monica Nalbandian and Lusine Yeghiazaryan on “Highlights on the Armenian Community of Brazil; and Gabriel Levita on “Deinstitutionalization of Ethnic and Religious Freelancing: Strategies and Speeches of Armenian Leaders shed much light on these oft neglected subjects.
The June issue contains truly moving “Four Poems” by Helene Pilibosian. There are also three commentaries. Two are on the Armenia-Turkey protocols by Razmig B. Shirinian and the editor, which were first presented in Los Angeles, California, on 17 December 2009, at a seminar on the Protocols jointly sponsored by the Armenian Educational Foundation Endowed Chair in Modern Armenian History at UCLA and the ARPA [Analysis Research and Planning for Armenia] Institute. Professor Steven Leonard Jacobs presentations on the Armenian Genocide, redrafted for our purposes, offer food for thought. While his arguments revisit well-known facts, they avow and elucidate what needs to be constantly reaffirmed, especially when the Armenian and Jewish holocausts are compared.
Seven book reviews by Michael Bobelian, Michael Kovacs, Robert Krikorian, John A.C. Greppin, Simon Payaslian, and Hovann Simonian provide various assessments on the latest deliveries. This is followed by a research note by Amber Karlins that explores an intriguing subject, focusing on how Arshaluys Mardiganian experienced the horrors of the Armenian Holocaust, came to the United States, caught the attention of a screenwriter and his spouse and, with the help of the Near East Relief organization, turned her story into a book and a popular movie.
Finally, this issue includes an experiment, examining thirty-six Turkish articles and editorial originally published in Hürriyet Daily News. All highlight concerns among members of the Turkish intelligentsia and offer a rare glimpse into Turkish perspectives. They also reveal noteworthy insights for researchers to better identify important questions dealing with contemporary Armenian affairs and, perhaps, decipher nascent ties between Turkey and Armenia.
The Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies is now the only multi-disciplinary publication that appears on a semi-annual calendar to better serve the scholarly community and inform our growing list of lay supporters with the latest contributions. Edited by Dr. Joseph A. Kéchichian, the Journal follows a straightforward policy with respect to submitted essays, as each is read anonymously by three referees: two outside experts, as well as the editor. Interested readers who wish to join the SAS and receive its refereed Journal can contact Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Society for Armenian Studies, c/o Armenian Studies Program, 5245 N. Backer Ave, PB4, Fresno, California 93740-8001, telephone 559-278-2669, or email [email protected].