Events
Lecture at the IAE titled “Interregional Anecdotes (Humorous story) among the Armenian Refugee Community of Aleppo.”
On March 19, the Folklore Department of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia organized a regular lecture. Within the framework of the “Folklore Discussions” series, a lecture titled “Interregional Anecdotes (Humorous story)among the Armenian Refugee Community of Aleppo” was held at the IAE reading hall. The lecture was delivered by Doctor of Historical Sciences Hakob Cholakyan. The event was attended by staff members from various departments of the Institute, as well as individuals interested in the topic and students. The Deputy Director of the IAE, Tork Dalalyan, introduced the speaker, emphasizing the importance of organizing such academic meetings and their role in fostering professional dialogue. At the end of the lecture, an active discussion took place. The attendees asked questions and shared their observations and suggestions.
2026-03-20
Seminar at the IAE on “A Multilevel Analytical Approach to Diaspora Studies: Ethnographic and Sociological Foundations”.
On March 16, a regular seminar was held at the Diaspora Studies Department of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The head of the department, Doctor of Historical Sciences Ruben Karapetyan, delivered a presentation titled “A Multilevel Analytical Approach to Diaspora Studies: Ethnographic and Sociological Foundations.” The seminar was attended by the department’s staff. It was held in an active discussion format, with questions raised and observations and suggestions presented.
2026-03-17
The staff of the Diaspora Studies Department conducted field research in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, and Brussels.
Within the framework of the SSAH 2024 24SSAH-6A008 project, entitled “THE INTERACTION OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMPONENTS IN THE IDENTITY OF DIASPORA ARMENIANS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS,” the field research was conducted in the Armenian communities in Sofia and Plovdiv (Republic of Bulgaria) and Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium) during the periods 21 November–2 December and 11–16 December. The study was carried out by the project principle investigator Nelli Khachaturyan, a researcher at the Department of Diaspora Studies, and the project participant Sona Nersisyan, a senior researcher in the same department. The research employed sociological and ethnographic methodologies. There were conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with the representatives of the communities and the community structures. There was also used an observation method, accompanied by photo and video recording. The study examined the communities’ current institutions (religious, cultural, educational, civic, etc.), their place and role within community life, the communities’ history and cultural heritage, the specific features of interactions between new and old communities, identity-related issues, current dynamics and transformations, and the factors influencing these processes.
2026-03-16
The presentation of the book “Conflict, Space and Transnationalism: An Ethnography of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War” took place.
On 25 February 2026, a presentation of the newly published book Conflict, Space and Transnationalism: An Ethnography of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (Palgrave Studies in Urban Anthropology, 2025) was held for in the conference hall of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The book is co-authored by Arsen Hakobyan, researcher from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, and Marcello Mollica from University of Messina, Italy, and recently released by the reputable academic publisher Palgrave Macmillan. The work is a comprehensive study of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the 44-day war, examining the wartime experiences of Artsakh Armenians during the 2020 war in the light of the broader historical context and the deeper developments of the conflict. The book analyzes the transnational dimensions of the war, including the involvement of external actors and factors, and addresses the wartime and post-war trajectories of the capital Stepanakert and the historic center Shushi, as well as their relation to questions of identity and belonging. It also discusses the practical, political, and ideological aspects of the destruction and forced appropriation of Armenian cultural heritage. The event was attended by the authors, staff members of various structures of the National Academy of Sciences, including the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, as well as numerous guests. The presentation was opened by Harutyun Marutyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and Chief Researcher of the Department of Cultural Anthropology of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, who emphasized the scholarly value and contemporary relevance of the newly published work. The importance of the book and the urgency of the topic were also addressed by Yuri Suvaryan, Doctor of Economics, Professor, and Corresponding Member of the NAS RA; Pavel Avetisyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the NAS RA, Scientific Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography; Hranush Kharatyan, researcher from the Institute, PhD; and others. The authors presented details about the process of creating the book, its research methodology, and the specific features of their fieldwork, also answering questions from the audience.
2026-02-25
Senior Researcher of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the NAS RA Viktorya Vasilian at the European Conference on the Preparation of Horizon Europe Programmes
Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the NAS RA, PhD in History Viktorya Vasilian, was invited on February 19–20 of this year to Düsseldorf, Germany, to participate in the “Preparation of Horizon Europe Programmes: Successful Research in Europe 2026 – 13th European Interdisciplinary” conference. The speaker presented the project selected by the jury entitled “Virtual Archaeology: Armenia at the Crossroads of Civilizations and Cultures.”
2026-02-23
Lecture: “A Folkloristic Examination of the Epic of Aslan: Plot, Motifs, Variants, and Original Texts”
On 19 February 2026, in the reading hall of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE), a lecture entitled “A Folkloristic Examination of the Epic of Aslan: Plot, Motifs, Variants, and Original Texts” was held within the framework of the “Folkloristic Discussions” series. The lecture was delivered by Samvel Ramazyan, PhD, Associate Professor. The Deputy Director of the IAE Tork Dalalyan welcomed the attendees, emphasizing the relevance and scholarly value of the topic. The audience included staff members from various departments of the Institute, students, and other interested participants. The lecturer presented the plot, motifs, and variants of the Armenian folk epic “Aslan Agha,” addressing the image of the hero as an embodiment of the just ruler envisioned by the people. Discussing the history of the epic’s documentation, it was noted that various folklorists (H. Shahbazyan, G. Tarverdyan, Karapet Melik-Ohanjanyan, M. Abeghyan, and others) recorded different versions, mainly based on the narration of Manuk Bidza Harutyunyan, a 75-year-old native of the Mokk region. A sung version of the epic was transcribed in 1920 by Spiridon Melikyan. In 1937, G. Tarverdyan recorded another rendition under the title “Aslan Kaklan”, based on the account of Jendo Jibraelyan, a 68-year-old farmer from Jnuk village of Shatakh. The folk tale “The Faithful Wife” is also thematically related to the epic. The event concluded with a question-and-answer session and open discussion.
2026-02-19
