Two-Day International Conference: “Microhistories in Armenian Studies” at Fresno State

FRESNO — The Fresno State Armenian Studies Program is organizing a two-day international conference, “Microhistories in Armenian Studies,” taking place on Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, 2023 on the Fresno State campus. The conference is supported through the Ralph Kazarian Armenian Memorial Fund.

The conference will feature keynote speaker Dr. Hans-Lukas Kieser (University of Newcastle NSW, Australia) and presentations by six scholars.

The conference will begin at 7:00PM on Friday, September 22, with the keynote speaker followed by three presentations: Victoria Abrahamyan (University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland) will speak on “The Contested Armenian Participation in the Syrian Great Revolt, 1925-1926”; Ara Sarafian (Gomidas Institute, London) will speak on “The Great Drought/Famine of Van and Kurdish Armenian Relations cir. 1880”; and Sam Dolbee (Vanderbilt University) will speak on “Hovhannes Doumanian and the Last Ottoman Agronomists.” The first day’s session will take place in the University Business Center, Alice Peters Auditorium, Fresno State. Admission to the conference is free and parking in Lot P6 or P5 is free as well.

The second day of the conference will begin at 10:00AM on Saturday, September 23 with three presentations: Robert Sukiasyan (Yerevan State University and American University of Armenia) speaking on “A Scheme for Extortion and Targeted Eliminations of Surviving Sivas Armenian Community Leaders in the Summer of 1915”; Ümit Kurt (University of Newcastle NSW) speaking on “The Fate of Armenian Family Wealth: Confiscation of Property in Ottoman Aintab during the First World War”; and Hazal Özdemir (Northwestern University) speaking on “They Vowed to Never Return: Bureaucratic Violence and Border-Building in the Ottoman Empire.” The second day’s session will take place in the Smittcamp Alumni House, 2625 E. Matoian Way, Fresno State. Admission to the second session is free and parking across from the Smittcamp Alumni House is free as well.

The conference will also be live-streamed on YouTube at: https://bit.ly/armenianstudiesyoutube.

For information about upcoming Armenian Studies Program presentations, please follow us on our Facebook page, @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or at the Program website, https://fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies.