Introduction to Armenian Studies

Historians frequently situate Armenia between two powers: between Rome and Persia, then Byzantium and Islam. This class will shake up the usual “between-two-worlds” paradigm, which places Armenia and Armenians in the crosshairs of world powers. Instead, we will study Armenians as active participants in world dramas, at the center of global developments. Our main goal will be to draw upon a variety of sources to tell the story of Armenia and Armenians: histories, poems, art, coins, buildings, etc.  

Goals

• Critically assess what it means to study history. Why are we learning this?
• Analyze primary sources, whether written or material. How can we study this?
• Engage with modern scholarship on Armenian experiences. How have other people studied this?