PRESS RELEASE
Date: June 3, 2008
Armenians and Progressive Politics
P.O. Box 419, New York, NY 10108
Contact: Laura Boghosian
Tel: 917-428-1918
"ARMENIANS AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS" CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK
–Eight Panel Discussions Open with "The New Imperialism"
NEW YORK — Scholars, writers, and activists from around the world
gathered to exchange ideas at the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation’s third annual "Armenians and Progressive Politics"
(APP) conference on May 30-31 in New York City. The meeting
is designed to offer a forum for progressive activists and thinkers
who tie Armenian issues to a broader political field. This year’s
assembly featured a plenary session on "The New Imperialism" with
noted progressive intellectuals Tariq Ali, David Barsamian, and
Neil Smith, who discussed the politics of empire and globalization,
and how these might affect dispossessed peoples and fledgling
nation-states such as Armenia.
The conference attracted a diverse cross-section of the Armenian
community, as well as progressive non-Armenian activists, who
approached their topics in an open environment of criticism,
reflection, and debate. Panels included a spirited discussion of
gender roles in the Armenian Diaspora; a self-critical examination
of the progressive track record of Armenian organizations; an
informed debate on the lessons and prospects of coalition building
between Armenians, Jews and human rights activists, drawing on the
recent Anti-Defamation League controversy; a critical, searching
approach to foreign assistance issues, identifying ways such aid
might help or hinder Armenia’s progress; a student panel designed
to introduce new voices with an emphasis on activism; and an
exciting and contentious exchange on the lessons learned from the
recent unrest following Armenia’s presidential elections. The
meeting closed with a plenary session on "Coalition-Building Among
Dispossessed Peoples," featuring incisive remarks by scholar-
activists Nubar Hovsepian, Tariq Ali, and David Barsamian.
"Overall, we are quite pleased with the direction of this
conference," stated APP committee chair Antranig Kasbarian. "We
hope to continue and expand our effort to build new discussions,
agendas, and ultimately activism aimed at re-energizing and
redefining Armenian issues from a progressive standpoint."
"Armenians and Progressive Politics" continues with a second
conference on June 6-7 in Los Angeles. For more information and to
view past conference proceedings, please visit the conference
website at
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Photo Caption 1: Left to Right: Armineh Arakelian, John Hughes, and
Simon Maghakyan during the "Unrest in Armenia: New Seeds of
Democracy or Destabilizing Acts?" panel
Photo Caption 2: Left to Right: Sevag Arzoumanian, Laura Boghosian,
Khatchig Mouradian, and Joey Kurtzman during the "ADL and the Armenian
Genocide: Pursuing Common Goals Through Grassroots Activism" panel
Photo Caption 3: Left to Right: Antranig Kasbarian, Nubar
Hovsepian, Tariq Ali, and David Barsamian during the closing
plenary, "Coalition Building Among Dispossessed People"