Քաղաքական համարկումը սփիւռքեան հոլովոյթին մէջ եւ հայ փերոնականներու պարագան

Abstract

"Politics" had always a special meaning for the Armenian Diaspora. Organized in the 1920s, Armenian communities all over the world defined their collective existence as "temporary," hoping for an eventual return to their homeland sometime in the future. Though supporting or rejecting the Soviet regime in Armenia polarized Armenians all over the world, the importance of the homeland for national survival has rarely been questioned. Based on the modern understanding of national identity, which was socially constructed during the 19th century Awakening period, Armenian communities evolved in the context of ghetto-like structures to resist "alienation" and maintain the crucial elements of national identity: language, faith, historical memory, family, social links, etc. Within this idealized structure, participation in the political process of host-countries with organized Armenian communities were rejected. It was not perceived important for national survival. Furthermore, political integration was understood as dangerous. The same was true for the Armenian community in Argentina. Yet, during the presidency of General Juan Domingo Peron (1946-1955 and 1973-1974), a group of Armenians, all active in community organizations, saw an opportunity in the gestures that the government made towards immigrants to propose a change in the way Armenians conceived their Diaspora presence. By participating in the Peronist Movement and trying to convince their fellow Armenians about the benefits of their initiative for the future of the community, they anticipated a renewal of self-awareness and identity. Their viewpoint inevitably came on the agenda of the Armenian Diaspora with the independence of Armenia and the improbability of "return." The Armenian Peronists failed in their endeavor, but their case is paradigmatic of how Diaspora was formed and conceived its place, role and future for almost seven decades in the 20th century. Based on this case study the article conceptualizes the self-awareness of the Armenian Diaspora with respect to politics and political integration. This retrospective look at the understanding of Armenian national identity during the Cold War years aims at lunching a much-needed debate about the renewal of the meaning of Diaspora in the global era.