Payaslian to Speak on ‘Political Economy of Human Rights in Armenia’

BELMONT, Mass.—On Thurs., May 10, Prof. Simon Payaslian, the Charles K. and Elisabeth M. Kenosian Chair in Modern Armenian History and Literature at Boston University, will give a lecture entitled “The Political Economy of Human Rights in Armenia” at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center in Belmont. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation and NAASR.

The cover of Prof. Payaslian's new book

Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has experienced a reversal from its earlier efforts to establish a democratic system to an authoritarian regime, continuing the repressive Soviet approaches to human rights. Payaslian will juxtapose Armenian history with the evolution of international human rights standards and survey Armenian history from the 19th century under Ottoman and Russian rule to the current situation in the post-Soviet republic. He will examine political, civil, social, and economic rights while highlighting the clash between sovereignty and human rights.

Payaslian has held the Kenosian Chair at Boston University since 2007. His most recent book is The Political Economy of Human Rights in Armenia: Authoritarianism and Democracy in a Former Soviet Republic (I.B. Tauris, 2011). Earlier publications include The History of Armenia: From the Origins to the Present (2007); United States Policy toward the Armenian Question and the Armenian Genocide (2005); The Armenian Genocide, 1915-1923: A Handbook for Students and Teachers (2001); International Political Economy: Conflict and Cooperation in the Global System (co-authored with Frederic S. Pearson) (1999); and U.S. Foreign Economic and Military Aid: The Reagan and Bush Administrations (1996). He has co-edited (with Richard G. Hovannisian) two volumes, Armenian Constantinople (2010) and Armenian Cilicia (2008).

The Political Economy of Human Rights in Armenia will be available for purchase and signing the night of the lecture.

The lecture begins at 8 p.m. at NAASR, on 395 Concord Ave. in Belmont, opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). For more information, call (617) 489-1610 or e-mail hq@naasr.org.

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