Tag: symbols

May 28, 2018

The Symbols of the First Republic of Armenia

After centuries of being stateless, Armenia declared independence on May 28, 1918. Institutions needed to be built from the ground up including the creation of the symbols of statehood. Here are the stories behind those national symbols as remembered by the First Republic's last Prime Minister Simon Vratsian.

February 16, 2018
What is “Armenian” in Armenian Identity?

What is “Armenian” in Armenian Identity?

In the last 100 years, there have been hierarchies of identity and canonical approaches to definitions of "Armenian," especially as articulated, rationalized and promoted by elites, institutions and political parties in the Diaspora and in Armenia. This essay is not a study of identity per se, but about one of the aspects of identity – the “Armenian” bit of it.

October 13, 2017
Archives and Institutions of the First Republic

Archives and Institutions of the First Republic

In this article, Varak Ketsemanian reflects on the possibilities of integrating the ARF archives on the First Republic into the larger political debate. Thus, he argues for the need of a critical and constructive re-assessment of this historical period in the nation's recent history, as a way to contribute to a long-term political convergence.

April 4, 2017
Post-Election Armenia

Post-Election Armenia

Political pundits will analyze the April 2 Parliamentary Elections for weeks and months to come. The results, however, were not surprising. What are the programs and policies that need to be implemented to prepare the country for the next election cycle?