Abstract
In this paper, we discuss what role gender plays in remembering, transmitting, and reframing memories of the Armenian Genocide in order to address the question of how young Armenian women negotiate their roles in this process. Centering the societal roles of memory transmission, we employ the specific sociological lens of gender to analyze 26 interviews conducted in Beirut during the week of the official commemorations of the Armenian Genocide in 2016. We define gender as the social construction of a stylized repetition of acts that reflect power relations. Accordingly, the examination of these power relations is necessary not only to understand the experiences and testimonies of men and women, but also the transmission of memory. While understanding Armenian youth as agents of the collective memory, gender allows us to discuss different patterns of remembrance and transmission. We therefore argue that gender influences how individuals remember the Armenian Genocide, as it underpins the (historically) assigned roles of memory and transmission.
Highlights
IntroductionGrowing up in a neighborhood outside of Beirut “as the only Armenian kid,” the question of belonging has always been present for Anna
In this paper, we discuss what role gender plays in remembering, transmitting, and reframing memories of the Armenian Genocide in order to address the question of how young Armenian women negotiate their roles in this process
Our aim is to explain gendered intergenerational transmission by referencing different forms of mnemonic capital, as embodied mnemonic capital, objectified mnemonic capital and institutional mnemonic capital (Reading, 2019). We argue that this conception can help us to better understand the gendered division of labor in the remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and the memory work done by multiple generations
Summary
Growing up in a neighborhood outside of Beirut “as the only Armenian kid,” the question of belonging has always been present for Anna. When she was invited to participate in a panel in Istanbul, as a 20 years old student, she accepted the invitation with hesitation and mixed feelings. As these elements intertwine with lived experience, everyday life, and unexpected challenges, heritage becomes a continuous process of negotiation She never ceases to look for an answer to the question “who am I?” struggling to define herself as a somewhat coherent sum of all these components. At the crossroads of it all, the memory of a crucial event casts a long shadow, that is, of the Armenian Genocide
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
