NAASR ACADEMIC DIRECTOR TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN STUDIES IN THE U.S.

NAASR Director of Academic Affairs Marc Mamigonian will give a lecture entitled “From Idea to Reality: The Development of Armenian Studies in the U.S.” on Thursday, Octo-ber 29, at 8:00 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA.
This presentation of a work-in-progress will give an overview of the gradual growth of Armenian Studies in the United States, which over the course of about 70 years evolved from the work of a few individuals who were interested in Armenian linguistic and religious issues to an established field of study encompassing Armenian language, church, history, art, and lit-erature, in leading American universities.
Among the episodes to be discussed will be several unsuccessful attempts to establish a center of Armenian Studies in the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s and the successful efforts of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) to establish permanent pro-grams or endowed chairs in Armenian Studies beginning in the mid-1950s.
Marc A. Mamigonian is Director of Academic Affairs at NAASR, where he has worked since 1998. Prior to his time at NAASR, he spent two years at Boston University writing annota-tions for a multi-media edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses. He is the author or co-author of several articles on the works of Joyce as well as numerous articles and reviews on Armenian subjects. He is the editor of the volumes The Armenians of New England and Rethinking Armenian Studies as well as NAASR’s Journal of Armenian Studies.
Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR Center is located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Ample parking is avail-able around the building and in adjacent areas. The lecture will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m.
More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing hq@naasr.org, or writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

October 9, 2009
Belmont, MA

Naasr