LOS ANGELES–The UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association invites the public to the fourth annual–international Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies (GSCAS) at UCLA on Friday–March 3–2006. This day-long academic event will begin at 10:00 AM and be held in the famous Royce Hall–room 314.
This year–the organizing committee has set out to continue the tradition that began in 2003 with the launching of the first-ever international colloquium in Armenian Studies developed specifically for graduate students by graduate students. UCLA–a premier institution for the growing field of Armenology and a leader in interdisciplinary studies–is hosting this event to further foster the development of Armenian Studies–facilitate interaction between graduate students and faculty from various institutions–provide a medium for the exchange of ideas–and contribute to the professional and academic advancement of graduate students.
Studies from multiple fields will be presented–including history–psychology–linguistics–literature–theology–and art history. Topics to be presented are grouped within the following sessions: A Comparative Look at 19th and 20th Century Armenian Drama; Social and Religious Issues: Cultural Concerns among Armenian Communities; Revisiting the Past and Theorizing the Present: Topic is Armenian Art–and Questions of Memory and Identity in Modern Armenian Literature and Film. Presenters are graduate students coming from universities and countries all around the world–including UCLA–Oxford University (England)–Haigazian University (Lebanon)–Central European University (Hungary)–Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)–and multiple institutes within the Republic of Armenia.
This year–the organizing committee was led by Myrna Douzjian–a graduate student in Comparative Literature. She was joined by a number of graduate student veterans from the 2003–2004–and 2005 GSCAS–as well as faculty advisor–Dr. Peter Cowe. Graduate students from across many disciplines were responsible for the individual aspects of developing the event. This ranged from financing to program scheduling–facilities and refreshmen’s to travel and accommodations–as well as both academic and media public relations.
Armenian Studies at UCLA began in 1960. The discipline was augmented in 1962 with the appointment of Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian–current holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History. In 1965–language and literature was established on a permanent footing with the arrival of Dr. Avedis K. Sanjian–who guided the expansion of this area over the next three decades. The Narekatsi Chair–founded in 1969 through the efforts of National Association for Armenian Studies and Research–has the distinction of being the oldest endowed chair at UCLA. The first chair-holder was Dr. Sanjian and in July 2000 Dr. S. Peter Cowe was appointed as successor. Since 1997 regular instruction in East Armenian has complemented teaching in West Armenian: currently Dr. Anahid Keshishian is lecturer in the former and Dr. Hagop Kouloujian in the latter. In 1998–Armenian Studies was officially recognized as an undergraduate minor and currently proposals are underway to institute the major.
The Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies is yet another step in the development of the rich tradition of Armenian Studies at UCLA. Organized by graduate students–for graduate students–it provides an opportunity for students to actively and significantly contribute to the academic environment on campus.
The colloquium is made possible–in part–by the financial contributions of a number of departmen’s–programs–and centers at UCLA including the departmen’s of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–Slavic Languages and Literature and Art History–the Center for Near-Eastern Studies–the Center for Indo-European Studies–as well as the Graduate Division of the UCLA administration. The Society of Armenian Studies–the Friends of Armenian Studies at UCLA–and the Ararat-Eskijian Museum have also pledged their financial support of the colloquium. Last–but by no means least–the committee also received financial support from the Campus Programs Committee of the Program Activities Board.
The event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information send an e-mail to agsaucla@ucla.edu or visit www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/agsa.
Schedule:
2006 Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies
Friday–March 3–2006 ? UCLA Royce Hall 314
Opening Remarks 10:00 – 10:15
Myrna Douzjian ? Project Director–2006 Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies
Dr. Peter Cowe ? Professor and Narekatsi Chair of Armenian Language and Literature at UCLA
Session 1 ? A Comparative Look at 19th & 20th Century Armenian Drama
Chair: Tamar Boyadjian (Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–UCLA)
10:15 – 10:35 Shushan Karapetyan ? Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–UCLA (USA)
The Representation of Women in Sundukian’s Pepo and Shirvanzade’s For the Sake of Honor
10:35 – 10:55 Hasmik Yeghiazaryan ? Foreign Literature–V. Brusov State Linguistic University of Yerevan (Armenia)
The Problem of Fanaticism in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and Levon Shant’s Ancient Gods
10:55 – 11:15 Janelle Pulczinski ? Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–UCLA (USA)
Suicide as a Rite of Passage in Levon Shant’s Ancient Gods and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
11:15 – 11:35 Discussion 11:35 – 11:45 Coffee Break
Session 2 ? Social and Religious Issues: Cultural Concerns among Armenian Communities
Chair: Artineh Samkian (Education–UCLA)
11:45 – 12:05 Hasmik Khalapyan ? History–Central European University (Budapest–Hungary)
Between Tradition and Modernity: Reforming the Institution of Marriage Among Ottoman Armenia’s–1875-1914
12:05 – 12:25 Hovannes Hovhannisyan ? History and Theory of Religions–Yerevan State University (Armenia)
The External and Internal Situation of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the beginning of 20th Century
12:25 – 12:45 Dzovig Kassabian ? Clinical Psychology–Haigazian University (Beirut–Lebanon)
The Level of Assimilation of Armenia’s in Lebanon as a Function of Visits to the Armenian State
12:45 – 1:05 Discussion 1:05 – 2:30 Lunch
Session 3 ? Revisiting the Past and Theorizing the Present: Topics in Armenian Art
Chair: Jean Murachanian (Art History–UCLA)
2:30 – 2:50 Mikael Arakelian ? Institute of Asian and African Studies–Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
The New Julfa School of Armenian Miniature Painting (the 17th century)
2:50 – 3:10 Armen Malkhasyan ? History–Institute of Archeology and Ethnography (Yerevan–Armenia)
Manuscript Binding Inscriptions as Components of Epigraphy
3:10 – 3:30 Vardan Azatyan ? Art History and Theory–Yerevan State Academy of Fine Art (Armenia)
The Changing Status of Armenian Art in World Art Histories
3:30 – 3:50 Discussion 3:50 – 4:00 Tea Break
Session 4 ? Questions of Memory and Identity in Modern Armenian Literature and Film
Chair: Talar Chahinian (Comparative Literature–UCLA)
4:00 – 4:20 Nanor Kenderian ? Oriental Studies–Oxford University (England)
The Father–the Son–and the Prostitute: A Reading of Shahan Shahnour’s Retreat Without Song
4:20 – 4:40 Liana Vardanyan ? Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–UCLA (USA)
The Rise and Decline of Armenian Village Prose
4:40 – 5:00 Ara Soghomonian ? Near Eastern Languages and Cultures–UCLA (USA)
Atom Egoyan’s Narrative Complexity and Density
5:00 – 5:20 Discussion 5:20 – 6:30 Reception (Royce 306)