Nationwide Identity and Security: The New Criterion and Armenian History Textbooks Discussions

• In Event: Contested Narratives: Education, Identity, and Politics in the Post-Soviet Era (Cases of Armenia and Russia)

Abstract

Two years after coming into power (in 2020), the new government of Armenia, having criticized the educational system in general and specifically the accents in national identity and how the history of Armenians was presented, introduced a draft of the new subject criteria and subject plans for teaching Armenian History in general education schools. This evoked protesting dispositions among many school teachers and other communities, especially those with strong political orientations, erupting massive protests. However, the new criteria were formally accepted and already at the beginning of 2024, a new history textbook was introduced. Large public discussions and criticism followed every stage of the process, even when the suggested or implemented changes were minor. The main arguments were that the new documents tend to support Turkish and Azerbaijani emphasis and hypotheses in political and historical debates between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The article discusses the issues that provoke resistance in history teaching and the main debates around new and old approaches when teaching Armenian History. By analyzing the media material and interviews with key informants, the paper reveals public concerns about history teaching and its political goals.

Author

• Ashkhen Hakobyan, Yerevan State U (Armenia)