Asya Darbinyan | Brookdale Community College (original) (raw)
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Papers by Asya Darbinyan
Études arméniennes contemporaines/Études arméniennes contemporaines, Dec 30, 2023
Documenting the Armenian Genocide, Palgrave Studies in the History of Genocide, 2024
Over 200,000 Armenians became displaced persons during the First World War as a result of the war... more Over 200,000 Armenians became displaced persons during the First World War as a result of the war on the Caucasus battlefront and the genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Drawing upon previously untapped material from Armenian, Georgian, and Russian archives and libraries, this chapter reflects on that mass population movement, examines the resulting humanitarian crisis, and analyzes Armenian refugee relief work. It shows that because of the complex structure of the empire, the nature of humanitarianism in imperial Russia was multilayered and heterogeneous. To control and coordinate the large population movements in the eastern occupied regions of the Ottoman Empire and in Transcaucasia, imperial Russian authorities needed to organize and facilitate proper registration of refugees: a challenging task in times of war, epidemics, and humanitarian crises. They also had to define who was and who wasn’t a refugee.
This chapter reflects on Russian military and civil authorities’ responses to the refugee movements in newly occupied areas of the Ottoman Empire—Erzincan, Bayburt, Erzurum— in summer 1916 and emphasizes the new directions and challenges of relief work. It shows how the relief committees and agencies adjusted to the changing dynamics on the warfront and in the occupied regions and shaped their relief strategies and methods according to the emerging needs of various categories of refugees. Hence, it contributes to key discussions in interdisciplinary research on refugees and to the emerging literature on relations between humanitarianism and imperialism. Finally, it offers a more nuanced understanding of Armenian-Russian relations in this period.
The Armenian Weekly , 2023
South Writ Large, 2021
Growing up in the 1990s post-Soviet Armenia, I had a rather vague idea about what Easter represen... more Growing up in the 1990s post-Soviet Armenia, I had a rather vague idea about what Easter represented and why we celebrated it. I heard the words resurrection, renaissance, and eternity but did not quite understand what all that was about.
Armenian Review, 2020
This article focuses on the humanitarian emergency and refugee crisis caused by population moveme... more This article focuses on the humanitarian emergency and refugee crisis caused by population movements at the Caucasus front during the First World War. Reflecting on the experiences of the Armenian refugees in various parts of Transcaucasia and in the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire occupied by Russian troops, this project addresses a number of core questions related to the refugees’ understanding of and reaction to genocide, war, and humanitarian relief work. It aims to uncover the perspectives of refugees—recipients of the assistance—and to show the role refugees themselves played in the struggle for survival. Finally, this paper incorporates into the narrative of assistance and survival the experiences of Armenian activists, intellectuals, and relief coordinators, among others, whose efforts made the organization of self-help during the war and genocide possible.
Aid to Armenia: Humanitarianism and Intervention from the 1890s to the present, Manchester University Press, 2020
As many as 120,000 to 150,000 Armenians – displaced as a result of the First World War on the Cau... more As many as 120,000 to 150,000 Armenians – displaced as a result of the First World War on the Caucasus front and the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government against its own Armenian subjects – had crossed the border into Russian imperial territories in the Caucasus in summer and autumn 1915. To confront this emergency situation, imperial Russian authorities as well as non-governmental organisations engaged in the provision of relief to displaced Armenians. By exploring imperial Russia’s response to the refugee crisis on the Caucasus front of the First World War, this chapter elucidates the complexity of humanitarianism at the beginning of the twentieth century. Whereas existing research on humanitarian responses to the Armenian Genocide has focused on the work of Western European actors among Ottoman-Armenian refugees in the Middle East, this chapter shifts the geographical focus to include the Ottoman–Russian borderlands. Drawing upon hitherto unused primary sources from Armenian, Georgian and Russian archives, it focuses particularly on the emergence of refugee relief structures and practices on the Caucasus front during the first year of the war.
The Armenian Weekly, 2020
Online Atlas on History of Humanitarianism and Human Rights, 2018
The Armenian Weekly, 2016
The front page of the June 30, 1916 issue of the Parisian newspaper “Excelsior” carried an illust... more The front page of the June 30, 1916 issue of the Parisian newspaper “Excelsior” carried an illustration of a Russian soldier on horseback with a refugee child in his arms. The picture was captioned, “The Symbol of Protection of
the Armenians by Russians.” The words “Russia” and “humanitarianism” are rarely coupled in the historical literature on the 20th century. This essay, however, emphasizes the importance of exploring imperial Russia’s reaction to the Armenian Genocide and
the refugee crisis on the Caucasus battlefront of World War I. It shows how the recognition of an emergency situation transformed political and public reaction into action, and how the Russian imperial government during the Great War and the Armenian Genocide—as well as a number of non-governmental organizations established in the Russian Empire—provided humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of Armenian refugees in need. It also plumbs the motivations for humanitarian assistance and the Russian context of humanitarianism.
Herald of the Social Sciences [Լրաբեր Հասարակական Գիտությունների], 2012
Joint Activities of American and Scandinavian Humanitarian Organizations for Armenian Relief
Historical-Philological Journal [Պատմա-բանասիրական հանդես], 2011
The American Near East Relief was founded as a relief committee during World War I to help millio... more The American Near East Relief was founded as a relief committee during World War I to help millions of people in need in Near East and save their lives. The organization spearheaded a nation-wide campaign and contributed sufficient funds to carry on an adequate relief program overseas. The publicity campaign of the Near East Relief was accomplished using the following techniques: a. Public speeches and appeals: US government representatives, famous performers, sportsmen, and actors encouraged Americans to show generosity and support the relief project; b. Newspapers, magazines and periodicals: the special articles informed public about the relief work in Near East and the problem of urgent need; c. visual publicity: the campaign story was told in the simple form of display posters, car card or outdoor advertising with slogans changing according to conditions in Near East; d. Golden Rule Sunday: this campaign program for the Christmas season was initiated to organize Golden Rule luncheons, dinners and teas.
Book Reviews by Asya Darbinyan
The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, 2022
International Journal of Armenian Genocide Studies, 2020
Études arméniennes contemporaines/Études arméniennes contemporaines, Dec 30, 2023
Documenting the Armenian Genocide, Palgrave Studies in the History of Genocide, 2024
Over 200,000 Armenians became displaced persons during the First World War as a result of the war... more Over 200,000 Armenians became displaced persons during the First World War as a result of the war on the Caucasus battlefront and the genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Drawing upon previously untapped material from Armenian, Georgian, and Russian archives and libraries, this chapter reflects on that mass population movement, examines the resulting humanitarian crisis, and analyzes Armenian refugee relief work. It shows that because of the complex structure of the empire, the nature of humanitarianism in imperial Russia was multilayered and heterogeneous. To control and coordinate the large population movements in the eastern occupied regions of the Ottoman Empire and in Transcaucasia, imperial Russian authorities needed to organize and facilitate proper registration of refugees: a challenging task in times of war, epidemics, and humanitarian crises. They also had to define who was and who wasn’t a refugee.
This chapter reflects on Russian military and civil authorities’ responses to the refugee movements in newly occupied areas of the Ottoman Empire—Erzincan, Bayburt, Erzurum— in summer 1916 and emphasizes the new directions and challenges of relief work. It shows how the relief committees and agencies adjusted to the changing dynamics on the warfront and in the occupied regions and shaped their relief strategies and methods according to the emerging needs of various categories of refugees. Hence, it contributes to key discussions in interdisciplinary research on refugees and to the emerging literature on relations between humanitarianism and imperialism. Finally, it offers a more nuanced understanding of Armenian-Russian relations in this period.
The Armenian Weekly , 2023
South Writ Large, 2021
Growing up in the 1990s post-Soviet Armenia, I had a rather vague idea about what Easter represen... more Growing up in the 1990s post-Soviet Armenia, I had a rather vague idea about what Easter represented and why we celebrated it. I heard the words resurrection, renaissance, and eternity but did not quite understand what all that was about.
Armenian Review, 2020
This article focuses on the humanitarian emergency and refugee crisis caused by population moveme... more This article focuses on the humanitarian emergency and refugee crisis caused by population movements at the Caucasus front during the First World War. Reflecting on the experiences of the Armenian refugees in various parts of Transcaucasia and in the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire occupied by Russian troops, this project addresses a number of core questions related to the refugees’ understanding of and reaction to genocide, war, and humanitarian relief work. It aims to uncover the perspectives of refugees—recipients of the assistance—and to show the role refugees themselves played in the struggle for survival. Finally, this paper incorporates into the narrative of assistance and survival the experiences of Armenian activists, intellectuals, and relief coordinators, among others, whose efforts made the organization of self-help during the war and genocide possible.
Aid to Armenia: Humanitarianism and Intervention from the 1890s to the present, Manchester University Press, 2020
As many as 120,000 to 150,000 Armenians – displaced as a result of the First World War on the Cau... more As many as 120,000 to 150,000 Armenians – displaced as a result of the First World War on the Caucasus front and the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government against its own Armenian subjects – had crossed the border into Russian imperial territories in the Caucasus in summer and autumn 1915. To confront this emergency situation, imperial Russian authorities as well as non-governmental organisations engaged in the provision of relief to displaced Armenians. By exploring imperial Russia’s response to the refugee crisis on the Caucasus front of the First World War, this chapter elucidates the complexity of humanitarianism at the beginning of the twentieth century. Whereas existing research on humanitarian responses to the Armenian Genocide has focused on the work of Western European actors among Ottoman-Armenian refugees in the Middle East, this chapter shifts the geographical focus to include the Ottoman–Russian borderlands. Drawing upon hitherto unused primary sources from Armenian, Georgian and Russian archives, it focuses particularly on the emergence of refugee relief structures and practices on the Caucasus front during the first year of the war.
The Armenian Weekly, 2020
Online Atlas on History of Humanitarianism and Human Rights, 2018
The Armenian Weekly, 2016
The front page of the June 30, 1916 issue of the Parisian newspaper “Excelsior” carried an illust... more The front page of the June 30, 1916 issue of the Parisian newspaper “Excelsior” carried an illustration of a Russian soldier on horseback with a refugee child in his arms. The picture was captioned, “The Symbol of Protection of
the Armenians by Russians.” The words “Russia” and “humanitarianism” are rarely coupled in the historical literature on the 20th century. This essay, however, emphasizes the importance of exploring imperial Russia’s reaction to the Armenian Genocide and
the refugee crisis on the Caucasus battlefront of World War I. It shows how the recognition of an emergency situation transformed political and public reaction into action, and how the Russian imperial government during the Great War and the Armenian Genocide—as well as a number of non-governmental organizations established in the Russian Empire—provided humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of Armenian refugees in need. It also plumbs the motivations for humanitarian assistance and the Russian context of humanitarianism.
Herald of the Social Sciences [Լրաբեր Հասարակական Գիտությունների], 2012
Joint Activities of American and Scandinavian Humanitarian Organizations for Armenian Relief
Historical-Philological Journal [Պատմա-բանասիրական հանդես], 2011
The American Near East Relief was founded as a relief committee during World War I to help millio... more The American Near East Relief was founded as a relief committee during World War I to help millions of people in need in Near East and save their lives. The organization spearheaded a nation-wide campaign and contributed sufficient funds to carry on an adequate relief program overseas. The publicity campaign of the Near East Relief was accomplished using the following techniques: a. Public speeches and appeals: US government representatives, famous performers, sportsmen, and actors encouraged Americans to show generosity and support the relief project; b. Newspapers, magazines and periodicals: the special articles informed public about the relief work in Near East and the problem of urgent need; c. visual publicity: the campaign story was told in the simple form of display posters, car card or outdoor advertising with slogans changing according to conditions in Near East; d. Golden Rule Sunday: this campaign program for the Christmas season was initiated to organize Golden Rule luncheons, dinners and teas.
The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, 2022
International Journal of Armenian Genocide Studies, 2020