The Armenian Studies Department (ASD) is happy to congratulate participants on the 35th National Academic Student Conference (OTDK). This academic conference invites students from around Hungary to compete in a broad range of academic disciplines at both the institutional and national levels.

Péter Récsei’s submission entitled Time and Space: An Interpretation of Nagorno-Karabakh in in the context of the Longue Durée investigates the conflict historical background, considering the recent (2020) war between Armenia and Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh. In an attempt to fuse news media accounts with twentieth-century social historiographic trends, this paper applies Fernand Braudel’s structure of time and space to show how religion, economy, and ethnic structures, mesh with the geographical, social and individual factors within the South Caucasus from the nineteenth century until today. In applying Braudel’s models of time and space, the piece hopes to deepen understanding of the conflict and shed light on pathos of future conflict resolutions.

Kima Saribekyan’s submission entitled A Tale of Two Mandates: Syria, Cilicia and the French Mandate System in the Interwar Period, 1918- 1939 under the guidance of Dr. Lee Beaudoen. Kima’s paper investigates the Cilician Campaign and France’s stake in Cilicia in the interwar period. It unpacked the reasons behind the U.S. ephemeral interest in a congressionally supported mandate for Armenia between the two world wars and so underscores the importance of the interwar period in foundation of the modern Middle East.

Both projects reflect the growing strengthen of the PPCU’s Institute of History and the Department of Armenians Studies  in Mediterranean history, Middle East history, and transnational and international conflict resolution  
Péter and Kima’s achievement reflects their dedication, perseverance and drive that exceeds their normal coursework and degrees program requirements. These accomplishments go a long way toward achieving their current and future academic goals at PPCU.

Congratulations Kima and Peter!