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Localizing Genocide Memory in the Land/scape(s) of Armenia
Description
The project “Localizing Genocide Memory in the Land/scape(s) of Armenia: A Pilot Study of the Malatia-Sebastia Neighborhood’s Soviet and Post-Soviet Topography” was carried out in collaboration with BANALIQ – Armenian Critical Memory Studies Initiative. It was implemented over two years (2022–2023) with the financial support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
The primary aim of the project was to explore the interplay between public and oral histories in grassroots memorialization practices within Soviet and post-Soviet urban landscapes. To achieve this, the project employed innovative pedagogical and methodological approaches.
Research Focus
- Collecting and analyzing oral history interviews conducted in the Malatia-Sebastia district of Yerevan (around 30 interviews, mainly during the first project phase in 2022). Developing an audio walk and a guide for a socially engaged walking tour in Malatia-Sebastia, based on genocide memory landmarks identified through grassroots memory practices of local communities. Archiving the collected materials and incorporating selected content into the tour guide
- Compiling a list of key oral history texts for future translation into Armenian, to support the popularization and integration of oral history methods.
- Organizing a roundtable seminar co-hosted by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, NAS RA and the American University of Armenia (AUA). The event focused on methodological challenges in research and explored the intersection of oral history and education from a broader perspective.
Outcomes
- The audio walk, titled “From Sebastia to Sebastia: Tracing Genocide Memories”, is available in both Eastern and Western Armenian and can be accessed via a QR code included in the printed guide. An online interactive map was also developed to serve educators, students, and other interested stakeholders.
- Following the project’s completion, several demo tours were organized for local and international groups interested in oral history and memory studies. For an example of such engagement, see the reflection published by the CSN Lab: https://csnlab.net/article/banaliq