On Two Factors of National Identity: Orientation and Social Structure of Society

• Main Author: Ashot VOSKANIAN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Armenian State Pedagogical University 2016-12-01
• Series: Imastut'yun
• Subjects: national identity, geopolitical orientation, social structure, methodology of historical studies, israel ori, leo, ashot hovhannisyan
• Online Access: https://www.wisdomperiodical.com/index.php/wisdom/article/view/143

Given peculiarity of Armenian history, the Armenian political thought for centuries debated around geopolitical orientation between neighboring great powers. In post-Soviet reflections, however, the emphasis has been moved towards self-reliance, and the very principle of political orientation was questioned. The attitude towards Israel Ori, whose name was viewed as a symbol of the principle of orientation, became the locums for determining the political-ideological disposition of debater, as well as understanding their approaches towards different concepts of national identity. A brief comparison between the conceptual paradigms of two renowned historians Ashot Hovhannisyan (1887-1972) and Leo (Arakel Babakhanyan, 1860-1932) in relation to their attitude towards Israel Ori aims to demonstrate that questioning of the very principle of orientation has much deeper roots in Armenian historical studies than commonly is believed. It also illuminates the complex relationship between principle of orientation and desired model of social structure of society, which these two classics have revealed in rather different ways.