‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria

Through a brief overview of the Armenian experience in Syria since the 1920s (post-genocide mass resettlement), the article shows that the emergence of centralising, authoritarian regimes in the 1950s and 1960s has substantially restricted the communal autonomy of the Armenians, with the result of d...

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Main Author: Nicola Migliorino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université de Provence 2006-12-01
Series:Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/3020
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author Nicola Migliorino
author_facet Nicola Migliorino
author_sort Nicola Migliorino
collection DOAJ
description Through a brief overview of the Armenian experience in Syria since the 1920s (post-genocide mass resettlement), the article shows that the emergence of centralising, authoritarian regimes in the 1950s and 1960s has substantially restricted the communal autonomy of the Armenians, with the result of damaging their strategy of cultural self-preservation. The article critically suggests, however, that since President Hafiz Al-Asad seized power in 1970, the position of the Armenian community has partially recovered. While officially denying their relevance, the Syrian regime has continued to use ethnic and sub-ethnic allegiances as channels to connect with components of the Syrian society. This context has created for the Armenians some protected spaces where the community could continue to preserve – within certain limits, and among increasing economic difficulties - its diversity.
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spelling doaj.art-56353f040c574c7495a404444438156c2024-02-13T15:20:11ZengUniversité de ProvenceRevue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée0997-13272105-22712006-12-0111510.4000/remmm.3020‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary SyriaNicola MigliorinoThrough a brief overview of the Armenian experience in Syria since the 1920s (post-genocide mass resettlement), the article shows that the emergence of centralising, authoritarian regimes in the 1950s and 1960s has substantially restricted the communal autonomy of the Armenians, with the result of damaging their strategy of cultural self-preservation. The article critically suggests, however, that since President Hafiz Al-Asad seized power in 1970, the position of the Armenian community has partially recovered. While officially denying their relevance, the Syrian regime has continued to use ethnic and sub-ethnic allegiances as channels to connect with components of the Syrian society. This context has created for the Armenians some protected spaces where the community could continue to preserve – within certain limits, and among increasing economic difficulties - its diversity.https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/3020
spellingShingle Nicola Migliorino
‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée
title ‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
title_full ‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
title_fullStr ‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
title_full_unstemmed ‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
title_short ‘Kulna Suriyyin’ ? The Armenian community and the State in contemporary Syria
title_sort kulna suriyyin the armenian community and the state in contemporary syria
url https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/3020
work_keys_str_mv AT nicolamigliorino kulnasuriyyinthearmeniancommunityandthestateincontemporarysyria