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Dear Readers,
We are pleased to once again meet with our esteemed readers, with the 77th issue of the Ermeni Araştırmaları journal. The 77th issue of the journal contains one editorial, four research articles, and one book review. We hope that each one of these meticulously prepared studies will contribute to the literature and will be followed with interest.
In the editorial titled "Olaylar ve Yorumlar" ("Facts and Comments"), Ambassador (R) Alev Kılıç comprehensively reviews the internal political developments in Armenia between November 2024-April 2025, Armenia’s foreign relations, the developments in the peace agreement process with Azerbaijan, and the course of the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process. In Armenian domestic politics, the opposition harshly criticized the official position on the constitutional amendment and the declaration that the “genocide” narrative is not a priority; accusing the administration of a crisis of legitimacy. Although an agreement was reached on paper during the Peace Treaty process, no results were achieved due to obstacles such as constitutional amendments and the Zangezur Corridor. In foreign policy, Yerevan's steps towards rapprochement with the West were noteworthy, while the search for balance in relations with Russia continued. With regards to the Türkiye-Armenia relations, direct contacts continued, and the Armenian side reiterated its expectations for the opening of border crossings. Participation in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum and the panel of the three South Caucasian ministers of foreign affairs were noted as promising developments in terms of regional cooperation.
In our 77th issue, the first research article is Nurullah Çetin's work titled "Kazakistan’da Levon İ. Mirzoyan Döneminde İdari Kadroların Yapılanması (1933-1936)" ("The Structuring of the Administrative Cadres in Kazakhstan During Levon I. Mirzoyan's Era (1933-1936)"). In this article, Çetin analyzes the tenure of the Armenian statesman Levon I. Mirzoyan, one of the important figures who shaped the Soviet Union's governance structure in Kazakhstan. Covering the period between 1933 and 1936, this study reveals that Mirzoyan's reforms were exemplary not only for Kazakhstan, but also for regional governance practices across the Soviet Union. The Mirzoyan period is noteworthy for its focus on the formation of an administrative model that was responsive to local conditions while being compatible with centralized Soviet policies. This meticulous research, based on archival documents, aims to provide a strong basis for understanding the transformation process of the socialist system in Kazakhstan.
The second article is Fatma Jale Gül Çoruk's study titled "Hatabala (Խաթաբալա) Dergisi Karikatürlerindeki Osmanlı İmajı Üzerine Bir İnceleme" (“A Study on the Ottoman Image in the Cartoons of the Hatabala (Խաթաբալա) Journal”). Çoruk examines how the Ottoman Empire is caricatured through Hatabala, an Armenian satirical journal published in the early 20th century. Hatabala, which published 437 issues, albeit intermittently, between 1906 and 1926, stood out as a periodical that portrayed the Ottoman Empire through the language of humor. Hatabala dealt with a wide range of topics from statesmen to the administrative structure, from the army to the harem, from the image of women to foreign relations and Westernization debates. In this article, Çoruk questions not only how Hatabala portrayed the Ottoman Empire, but also whether these portrayals were biased.
The third article is Tunay Şendal's “Talât Paşa Suikastının Batı Basınındaki Yansımaları” ("Reflections of the Talât Pasha Assassination in the Western Press"). Şendal examines how the death of Talat Pasha, who was assassinated by an Armenian in Berlin after World War I, was covered in the American and European press of the period. The study is limited to the period between 15-23 March 1921 and newspaper reports from this period are analyzed within the framework of the qualitative research method. This study, which evaluates the assassination not only in terms of its political impacts but also in terms of the way it was perceived in the international public opinion and the ideological orientation of the press, provides an important example of how historical events are given meaning through the press.
The fourth article is Gamze İme's “Tebriz Başkonsolosu İhsan Hüsnü Bey’in Raporu Işığında İran’daki Ermeni Komitelerinin Faaliyetleri: Diplomatik ve Stratejik Yaklaşımlar” ("The Activities of the Armenian Committees in Iran in the Light of the Report of the Consul General of Tebriz, İhsan Hüsnü Bey: Diplomatic and Strategic Approaches"). The article is based on Ottoman archival documents and makes extensive use of critical analyses reflecting different perspectives.
Our 77th issue includes a book review. Ahmet Can Öktem reviewed the book titled “Musa Dağı Ermenileri, 1915–1939: Bir Ayaklanma ve Kaçış Hikâyesi” (“The Armenians of Musa Dagh, 1915-1939: A Story of Insurgency and Flight”) written by Prof. Dr. Kemal Çiçek. The book evaluates the story of the supposedly heroic uprising of the Musa Dagh Armenians against the Ottoman army in mid-1915, as written in Franz Werfel's novel. Prof. Çiçek describes his work not as a critique of Werfel's story, but as a reconstruction of the history of what happened. Using an extensive bibliography, Çiçek analyzes various aspects of the Musa Dagh Insurgency, and events that happened before and its aftermath.
Have a nice reading.
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