Some Fresh Perspectives

[MJ]

Preface

 

A generally accepted definition of the extent of Europe, whilst excluding much of historic Armenia, does include the present-day Republic of Armenia, the boundary between Asia and Europe being regarded as running along the Caucasus. Neither Armenia nor the Armenians however are routinely associated, by most people, with Europe and Europeans. European history has traditionally been narrowly conceived, concentrating particularly on western Europe, and an interest, in this context, in Armenia, is often expected to be explicable in terms of some personal connection, in a way which would not be expected of an interest in, say, France, Germany or Russia. I have no such connection, but as our world becomes more a global village and comperative history and world history more illuminating, conviction that Armenian history is as relevant to the history of the lands and peoples which have shared the Greco-Roman civilization and of Judeo-Christian religion as that of the Anglo-Saxons, though the latter is, for a West European, far easier of access, and vice versa. The book is intended for non-Armenian readers interested in the ancient medieval histories of Europe, to ‘demystify’ the Armenians, and to illuminate their place in a European context. It is not to re-establish the emphasis on European influence and aspects which some modern scholars regard as having overdone in the past, to the neglect of Iranian and Syrian. Nevertheless, scholarly perception and accounts of Europe have also changed over time, so that those more familiar with the Armenians may also find a consideration of the Armenians as a people of Europe illuminating.

 

I should like to thank the editors for their invitation to contribute this series, their patience and good advice; Professor J.A. Cannon, Professor R.I. Moore and Dr. T.A. Sinclair for their comments on the text in draft; Mrs. M. Brack, Miss J. Cummin, Mrs. E. Cunningham, Miss J. Dalton, Mrs. V. Duglass, Miss S. Dunkin, Mrs. F. Griffits, Mrs. A. Macdonald, Mr. R. Robson and Mrs. I. Willis for secretarial assistance; the Audio-Visual Centre of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne for reproducing some of the plates; the Inter-Library Loan Department of the Robinson Library, University of Newcastle upon Tyne; and Mrs. A. Rooke, Senior Cartogrpaher in the Department of Geography in the University of Newcastle upon Tyne who drew up the maps here from my hand-drawn visions. [Hmm… Not a single Armenian name… - MJ]

 

Anne Elizabeth Redgate

The Armenians

(1998) Blackwell Publishers

The Peoples of Europe Series

General Editors James Campbell and Barry Cunliffe

[gamavor]

That is even more interesting and more probably accurate in terms of comparison.

Whenever I looked for some serious studies on this subject, there would be at least a little "punch" of Syrian, Byzantine, Iranian or else flavor, depending on where from the respective Diaspora Armenian author originates from.

[bellthecat]

Hmmmm.... it should be worth reading then!

 

Steve

[nairi]

Have you read it?

[MJ]

Cat,

 

Why don’t you liberate yourself from your quintessential racist misery before the misery dose it for you?

[aurguplu]

i have read the book.

 

frankly speaking, it left me with quite a muddled picture of the armenians. i found it a bit hard to follow throughout the earlier chapters when the armenians were independent and when not, and the period from 1071 to 1915 is treated in a rather summary fashion in my opinion. the genocide covers barely half a page (but it is mentioned as genocide), which amazed me (i failed to notice the names of talat, enver, cemal, bahaeddin şakir and the lot), as the author herself says it is one of the decisive events in the history of the armenians. the restrictions imposed by turkey on researching things armenian are touched upon, but not elaborated.

 

this was the first book i had read on armenian history as a whole (as opposed to specific issues like the genocide or art). i would not really recommend it as an introduction to someone who doesn't have any previous knowledge about the armenians. it may be a useful complementary and perhaps "corrective" to other works in the field, but not really the ideal introduction.

 

[ November 11, 2002, 09:59 AM: Message edited by: aurguplu ]

[MJ]

I broadly agree with your characterization of the book. While I accept the fact of it being written by a professional, meanwhile, I have a feeling that it has been written somewhat hastily. It is frequently hard to trace the underlying logic or to come up with specific conclusions. It almost makes an impression of the author claiming something like, "if we make this and this assumption, we would arrive to this and this conclusion, if we make the other assumption, we would arrive to the other conclusion. We can arrive to any conclusion, thus the subject should not be studied." This is especially true as far as the topic of the "origin of Armenians" is concerned. It looks like "I have been asked to write about it and here it is."

 

On the other hand, maybe it is not designated for bed-time reading, and has to be read with a sharp pencil in one's hands. I may try it when I have time.

 

In any case, I think this is a book to at least glance through and to know about.

 

[ November 11, 2002, 12:46 PM: Message edited by: MJ ]

[aurguplu]

i checked the amazon reviews, and they are almost all quite unfavourable. i can't disagree with the reviews. i had ordered other books through the net, and am waiting for them to come (they are mostly written by armenians).

 

the impression that the author gave me in the book was that she was "detached" from the subject rather than "dispassionate, unbiased" about it. it is as if somebody had asked her to write about a topic she didn't particularly care about, and she scribbled down something. i felt a general lack of passion, or interest for things armenian throughout the narrative.

 

[ November 12, 2002, 09:09 AM: Message edited by: aurguplu ]

[MJ]

Thanks for the tip, Ali. I just checked the Amazon reviews and found that,indeed, most of the reviewers share more or less the same reaction. However, how did you conclude that they are Armenians?

 

Perhaps, I may also write a small review based on the above in Amazon.

[aurguplu]

mj,

 

i didn't conclude the reviewers were armenians?! i just said i ordered some other books over the net on armenians mostly written by armenians.

 

i must have misexpressed myself.

 

sorry.

 

[ November 12, 2002, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: aurguplu ]

[MJ]

My mistake. Sorry.

[jackobolo]

MJ wrote

 

"It is not to re-establish the emphasis on European influence and aspects which some modern scholars regard as having overdone in the past, to the neglect of Iranian and Syrian."

 

From the above quote, and as is usual with most "western" authors of today (with rare and notable exceptions), I get the impression that the word "influence" implies ingress and never egress. Has it ever crossed the mind of the author (again, perhaps this is my assumption based on the review - as I have no intention of buying yet another mistreatment of Armenian history) that the influence can project outward from Armenia as well? Has it also occurred to any such author (as I have yet to encounter one), that incorrect conclusions can be reached, such as the horrendous results of Hubschmannic "linguistics?"