Major new publication on Turkey’s Armenian community explores historic roots, today’s reality

by Lou Ann Matossian

Published: Wednesday December 16, 2009 in Dateline Democracy: News and views from today’s Turkey

The cover image for Türkiye’de Ermeniler: Cemaat-Birey-Yurtta? is by noted photographer Ara Güler.

Minneapolis - Undermining stereotypes about Armenians from within Turkish society, a comprehensive new book published in Istanbul seeks to reintroduce the Armenian community to the Turkish-speaking majority, Nouvelles d'Arménie and Nor Zartonk report.

In Armenians in Turkey: Community, Individual, Citizen, authors Günay Göksu Ozdogan, Fusun Üstel, Karin Karakasli, and Ferhat Kentel explore Armenians' deep roots in the land of Ararat, prejudices against Armenians, community life today, and the construction of Armenian identity in contemporary Turkey, among other topics. A moody black-and-white image by noted photographer Ara Güler graces the cover.

Eight years in the making, the 640-page volume is published by Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV), a liberal, independent think tank based in Istanbul, in association with Istanbul Bilgi University Press (www.bilgiyay.com). It is currently available only in the original Turkish as Türkiye'de Ermeniler: Cemaat-Birey-Yurttas.

TESEV Democratization Program Director Etyen Mahçupyan, who also serves as editor-in-chief of the Istanbul Armenian weekly Agos, said that Turkish state policy has long ignored the country's Armenians. There is a need to educate people who do not really understand the community, he added.