TCPA Team Publishes Trailblazing Insight on Volunteerism in New Book

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YEREVAN, Armenia – Since its establishment in 1995, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis (TCPA) has constantly leveraged its research as a force for positive change. Today, the work of our team at TCPA reaches an even broader audience with the publication of a chapter in a recent book titled, “Perspectives on Volunteering Voices from the South”.

The book itself is sure to become a reference point for all students studying nonprofits and civil society both in Armenia and in the region. This is the first book to look at the volunteering experience in the global South, including countries from Africa, South America, as well as Mexico, Turkey, and China.

TCPA’s very own Assistant Director Jenny Paturyan and TCPA Research Associate Valentina Gevorgyan worked tirelessly to co-author the chapter entitled “Volunteering in Armenia: Leaving the Soviet Legacy Behind?”. The chapter presents Armenia’s experience, and is written based on the results of a 2-year study of Armenian civil society. It explores the patterns and realities of volunteering in Armenia, and focuses on generational changes and motivations to volunteer.

Earlier this year, Valentina Gevorgyan represented Armenia as a national expert in a study report released by the European Commission which focused on components of public administration reform, financial decentralization, and improvement of legal and institutional framework for local democracy in the six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. This, in combination with the chapter which was recently published by the Springer Company, is what deepens AUA’s name as an impactful institution in Armenia.

All of us in the AUA community are proud of our students, staff, faculty members, and volunteers, and we remain confident that the research of today will foster the policies of tomorrow!

The Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis (TCPA) was established in 1995 by the AUA School of Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) with the central mission of promoting knowledge and understanding through objective and independent research and policy analysis employing the latest methodologies. TCPA provides students and graduates with opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary applied research in a broad spectrum of contemporary social, political, and legal fields concerning Armenia.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides US-style education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.

More information on the chapter, “Volunteering in Armenia: Leaving the Soviet Legacy Behind?” can be found at: