ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: George Shirinian
DATE: July 17, 2006
Tel: 416-250-9807
Zoryan Institute Awards 2nd and 3rd Ph.D. Scholarships to Address
Shortage of Genocide Scholars
The Board of Directors of the Zoryan Institute is pleased to announce
the winner of its Ph.D. Scholarship Award for year 2006. The committee
unanimously chose Ms. Talar Chahinian-Mahroukian, who is studying
Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Her Ph.D. thesis, titled "Silent Tremors: Aftermath Experience in
French-Armenian Literature," analyzes the published works of the group
of Armenian writers in France who initiated the literary movement
called Menk.
As part of her study, Chahinian-Mahroukian applies trauma theory to
interpret this post-genocide literary discourse. She has presented
papers on this subject at three academic conferences, both local
and international.
One of her professors described her as ".one of the most talented
students I’ve had the good fortune to work with since I came to
UCLA." This award will enable her to complete her research of journals
and periodicals published in Paris between the two world wars, which
are found in the Mekhitarist Special Collection in Vienna.
"I would like to express my deepest gratitude for being selected as
this year’s recipient of the 2006 Zoryan Institute Ph.D. Scholarship,"
Chahinian-Mahroukian stated. "I feel extremely humbled and honored to
be a part of the institute and to join its tier of doctoral students
working to enhance scholarship on the Armenian Genocide and Diaspora. I
believe that studying the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath through
the lens of literature has great value," she continued. "For me, the
realm of literature provides a space for the intersection of multiple
disciplines, such as history, sociology and psychoanalytic theory
and, thus, offers a broad perspective of the genocide’s effects in
the conceptualization of an Armenian Diasporan identity. I am very
much committed to my project and look forward to the contribution it
will bring to the discourse on genocide and Diaspora. Aside from the
financial assistance, the institute’s Ph.D.
scholarship also offers a sense of reassurance for a doctoral student,
by broadening the often-solitary context within which the research
is conducted," she added.
In addition to Chahinian-Mahroukian, the institute also awarded a
scholarship for the second year to Ms. Sevane Garibian of Paris,
who is studying the effect of the Armenian Genocide on the Nuremberg
laws and also on international criminal law related to crimes against
humanity. Since her award in 2005, Ms. Garibian has published three
articles; two in French and one in English entitled: "Pour une lecture
juridique des quatre ‘lois memorielles,’" "Le genocide armenien hors
la loi?," and "Crimes against Humanity and International Legality
in Legal Theory after Nuremberg." Her work led to her being cited
in the French Parliament debate in June on penalties for denying the
Armenian Genocide.
"I would like to express my warmest thanks to the Zoryan Institute
and its prestigious Committee for renewing my PhD Scholarship for
another year," said Garibian. The trust this decision expresses and
the support it represents in my work are very important to me and
will give me the chance to finish writing my PhD thesis in the best
conditions.. I hope the Zoryan scholarship-but also the Genocide and
Human Rights University Program that the Zoryan Institute provides
each year-will encourage and motivate other young scholars from all
over the world to engage in and pursue research and publication in
this enormous field," she concluded.
"It is thanks to the vision of people like Dikran and Sonia Bal,
who wanted to encourage new scholars in this field and provided the
financial means to establish this scholarship program, that we are
able to foster and nurture Armenian Genocide studies," said Greg
Sarkissian, President of the Zoryan Institute.
The scholarship is open to currently enrolled Ph.D. students in
good standing at an accredited university who are preparing a
thesis on the Armenian Genocide or a comparative study with other
genocides. Candidates must have completed all requirements for the
Ph.D. except for the dissertation. Applications for the 2007 awards
are being accepted now, with a closing date of February 28th. For
inquiries, call 416-250-9807 or write to zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org.
The Zoryan Institute is the first non-profit, international
center devoted to the research and documentation the contemporary
issues related to social, political and cultural life of Armenians
worldwide. To this end, the Institute conducts multidisciplinary
research, publication, and educational programs dealing with Republic
of Armenia, Genocide, and Diaspora within a universal context.