Double Identity: Armenia in the crossroads of Europe and Asia

1. Dialog of Europe and it’s Eastern Neighbors Youth Forum 2007 Double Identity: Armenia in the crossroads of Europe and Asia Vilnius, Lithuania 11 May, 2007 Hovhannes Grigoryan Yerevan State University, Armenia

2. Armenia

3. Armenia: facts • Territory – 28.900 sq. m • Population – 3.000.000 • Capital – Yerevan – 1.000.000 • Official language – Armenian • Religion: Christian (Armenian apostolic) 97% • Political Structure – Presidential Republic • Independence day – 21st September, 1991 • Currency – Armenian drams 1Euro = 450AMD

4. Armenia: facts • GDP ppp – 4500usd/2006 • Budget – 800mln usd • Member of UN – 1991 • Member of EC – 2001 • Member of WTO – 2000

5. History and Culture on Formation of National Identity • Asian communalism • Christian values • Homo sovietikus • Post-soviet transformations

6. Asian communalism • Community vs. Individualism • Traditionalism and national culture • Family and the role of a person • Respect to the age, gender, social status • Charisma rather than Legitimization

7. Christian values • Rather weaken during the Soviet times • Philanthropy and social virtues • Socio-cultural identification – first Christian country in the world • Orientation towards Christian Europe

8. Homo Sovietikus • Not-developed sense of public property (belongs to all – belongs to no one) • Community and not a person is a target – strong social control • Underdeveloped feeling of personal freedom – the state will decide the fate • Stub administrative – beur system – the needs often remain uncovered • Deformed form of National pride

9. Transformational values • Wild liberalization • Growth of nationalism and ethnocentrism • Socio-economic crisis (war, blockade, earthquake, etc 1988-1995) • Crisis of identity – search of roots and reality • General anomie – the old values are demolished, the news are not created – focus on national history and traditions

10. Other factors • Armenian Genocide – and the fact of denial • Variety of options – Russia vs. EU/USA • Cultural democratization – democratic culture prevalence

11. Factor of Europe • Europe as a future Europe is defined as a standard of goodness, of high quality and guarantees • Europe as a threat to national values Europe is defined as a mean of political, social, economical and, most important cultural expansion

12. Europe as a future – Identity 1 Large number of politicians and people state that Armenians are Europeans • Cultural similarities • Respect to European values (democracy, human rights, equality, etc.) • Vitality of economical and political integration • Europe on everyday life - level

13. Europe as a threat – Identity 2 • National values can be demolished under tendencies of westernization and globalization • Gay/lesbian/sects/crime expansion – big bang in the bottle • Freedom to some extend or freedom without borders?

14. Conclusion • Nationalism vs. Westernization – rather than • National values in the frames of Western Civilization • Armenian Identity vs. European Identity – which one is “higher” (illogical question) • New frightens and attracts at the same time

15. Thank you for your attention