1st Edition
Post-Soviet Armenia The New National Elite and the New National Narrative
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia has struggled to establish itself, with a faltering economy, emigration of the intelligentsia and the weakening of civil society. This book explores how a new national elite has emerged and how it has constructed a new national narrative to suit Armenia’s new circumstances. The book examines the importance of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan, considers the impact of fraught relations with Turkey and the impact of relations with other neighbouring states including Russia, and discusses the poorly-developed role of the very large Armenian diaspora. Overall, the book provides a key overview to understanding the forces shaping all aspects of present-day Armenia.
1. Introduction
2. Armenia’s Political Elites?
3. Constructing and Deconstructing National Narrative
4. The Nerve or Armenian Politics – Nagorno-Karabakh
5. Turkey: Confronting the Past, Surviving the Present
6. Diaspora: Armenia’s Failed Marriage
7. Zero Axes
8. Conclusion
Biography
Irina Ghaplanyan is an independent scholar and was formerly a lecturer at the American University of Armenia, Yerevan.