Reverberations of the Armenian Genocide

Abstract

Narrative research has not traditionally examined the intergenerational transmission and reverberation of narratives within ethnic communities, and yet it is through the chain of generations that voices of the past reverberate and testimonies endure which fuel and form present day notions of the past. This article is a call for and an example of the importance ethnographic investigation into communities of memories, for it is through community storytelling that records are set straight as a memorial for victims and survivors. This line of inquiry is pertinent to various communities throughout the world, as we come to see the role of language, and in particular, narrative in the formation of ideas and conflicts, as scholars such as Slyomovics, (1998) have pointed out. This research takes as its point of departure narrative renditions of the Armenian genocide recounted in both public and private venues by the great-grandchildren of genocide survivors in an ethnic enclave in Central California. In this diasporic community we see how communities of memory are formed in a space of mediation which links the new generation with the old, the present with its past as well as with its imagined communities (Anderson, 1983). Through examination of the linguistic reverberations of this historical and familial narrative, I ask what becomes of authorship when collected stories are salient enough to be included in one's own personal history, and how these narrativizations contribute to one's sense of self? These questions are answered both by linguistic analysis of pronouns and deixis, as well as through analysis of prevalent themes. The results of this research lend into the historical progression of memory through time by those who did not experience the trauma, but rather were witnesses by listening to the trauma of others.Requests for further information should be directed to Dr. Natasha Azarian-Ceccato, Department of Communications, Skema Business School,

Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms

“…Presently, there are discussions about the impact of historical events such as colonization, slavery and displacement trauma in many cultures, including First Nations and native American communities, African Americans, Australian aboriginals and New Zealand Maori, as well as in societies exposed to genocide, ethnic cleansing or war, such as Cambodians, Armenians, Rwandans, Palestinians, and communities in the former Yugoslavia. There is also a growing literature about offspring effects following early maternal childhood maltreatment.…”

Victim and Perpetrator Groups’ Divergent Perspectives on Collective Violence: Implications for Intergroup Relations

“…This is evident in how historical group trauma is readily associated with present‐day threats and political adversaries (e.g., Hirschberger, Ein‐Dor, et al, ; Schori‐Eyal et al, ), and how priming historical collective victimization affects opinions about current intergroup relations and political issues (Canetti et al, ; Wohl & Branscombe, ) as we discuss below. In a narrative study among descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors, the linguistic devices used to describe the historical victimization were similar to those used to describe present, rather than past events (Azarian‐Ceccato, ).…”

“…For example, participants in a qualitative study among descendants of Armenian genocide survivors explained that it is only because of the historical genocide that they live in a different part of the world than their ancestors, speak a different language, etc. (Azarian‐Ceccato, ). Additionally, in many contexts the historically targeted group remains in a position of lower power and continues to experience discrimination and other adverse outcomes.…”

Cultural trauma and epigenetic inheritance

“…Research on the intergenerational impact of other genocides, colonization, war, and slavery reflects the widespread understanding that such traumas resonate across generations and throughout communities. For example, see discussions relating to First Nation, Native American, Australian Aboriginal, and New Zealand Maori communities (Brave Heart, 1998; Evans-Campbell, 2008; Gone, 2013; Pihama et al, 2014; Raphael, Swan, & Martinek, 1998); the legacy of slavery among African Americans (DeGruy, 2017; Eyerman, 2001); and the effects of genocide and war in Cambodian (Field, Muong, & Sochanvimean, 2013; Münyas, 2008), Armenian (Azarian-Ceccato, 2010; Esmaeili, 2011; Karenian et al, 2011), Rwandan (Perroud et al, 2014; Roth, Neuner, & Elbert, 2014), Palestinian (Barron & Abdallah, 2015), Ukrainian (Bezo & Maggi, 2015), Sierra Leonean (Betancourt, McBain, Newnham, & Brennan, 2015), and Croatian communities (Svob, Brown, Takšić, Katulić, & Žauhar, 2016).…”