This course examines the history of the Ottoman Armenians in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The first part of the course will focus on the social, economic, political and cultural history of the Ottoman Armenians, which was abruptly disrupted by the Genocide. The second part will trace the history of the destruction of the Ottoman Armenians during World War I and the experiences of survivors in Republican Turkey.
The class will highlight the social, cultural and economic achievements of Ottoman Armenians’ while addressing various problems they faced in the global age of the mid-nineteenth century. How was the Armenian ethno-religious community transformed into the Armenian millet, an officially recognized ethno-religious group, and then into an Armenian nation? What were the social and cultural issues that effected the Armenian community in this process of transformation? How were the categories of social distinction (class, status, urban vs. rural), religious differences (Apostolic, Catholic, Protestant), and gender constructed in this process? How can we use these categories to understand and explain the broader transformations that Ottoman Armenians experienced since the mid-nineteenth century? How do we contextualize violence against Armenians during the last decades of the empire that culminated in the Genocide? Moreover, what did it mean to be an Armenian in a global, complex and inter-connected world; How do categories of belonging to an ethnic community such as the Armenians get transformed into that of a nation-state. Can we use the examples of the past to reflect on our own sense of belongings in the contemporary world? This course will explore these questions as we study the Armenian experience to address broader questions about relations between self, community and the society.
Course Requirements:
Active participation and regular short reflection papers will be required, along with one short research paper for final.
Intended Audience:
All undergraduate students. No prerequisites.
Class Format:
Two lectures with in-class discussions.