ARMENIAN HISTORY SHOULD BE THOUGHT IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER

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July 27, 2009

ASBAREZ.COM

ARMENIAN HISTORY

SHOULD BE THOUGHT IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER

In his recent interview with the ArmenPress News Agency (July 27, 2009) Mr. Vladimir Barkhudarian, the head of the Armenology and Social Sciences Department of Armenian National Academy of Sciences, stated the importance of teaching Armenian History in an integrated and consolidated manner in Armenian Diaspora and homeland, considering falsifications, distortions and erroneous information presented in certain Armenology and Armenian History textbooks in USA.

The Armenian National Academy of Sciences conducted a detailed research analysis of two-volume student textbook The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times (which circulated in USA) and concluded that the textbook contained outdated and already rejected theories in the scientific world in regards to the origins of Armenian people, the issue of their nativity in the Armenian Highlands and the alienation of the State of Urartu kingdom from its Armenian origins and other topics. The Armenian and international scientific community have made several corrections and identified the false and non- scientific nature of such opinions. Furthermore, some of the offensive and unreliable expressions addressed toward certain iconic Armenian historical figures have been regarded as unacceptable. For example, highly condemnable mischaracterization of Movses Khorenatsy by Robert W. Thomson, the intentional degradation of the Armenian culture by James R. Russell, who labeled it as a derivative of the Persian culture, also the substitution of the term Armenia Highland by Eastern Anatolia proposed by Ronald Grigor Suny. There also exist many other such inaccurate and deceptive information, including wrong dates, and names in the two-volume textbook (The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times) about contemporary Armenian History.

The National Academy of the Armenian Republic (Department of Armenology and social sciences) made a decision (April 7, 2009) and expressed its serious disappointment regarding such intentional falsifications found in the discussed history book (The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, chief editor: Richard G. Hovannisian) and emphasized that the continuous usage of such a textbook is harmful for Armenian students. One must take into consideration the fact that such publications continue to be distributed in other academic circles. The Armenian National Academy of Sciences has further asked the authors and the editor of the two-volume textbook to comprehensively reevaluate the material substance of the textbook so it can be presented in accordance with the latest scientific findings and achievements of Armenology. Furthermore, it is recommended that future publications of Armenian History textbooks should be conducted more carefully and prudentially.

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