PSIA Seminar: The Next Step in the Development of Armenian Civil Society

The seminar presents the results of research about Armenian civil society. The units of analysis are the two civil society actors, namely formal (civil society organisations: legal entities registered in Armenia), and informal (activists, civic activist campaigns/civic initiatives). The research derives from the premise that usually, formal and informal civil society actors establish and organize around shared ideas and commitment. By questioning whether the civil society actors have been capable to effectively partner in collaborative effort to make tangible impact, the research considers the interaction, differences and mutual perceptions of the two societal actors, aiming to define the Armenian civil society anew. Based on the primary qualitative data of expert interviews (2016), analysis of primary data collected in 2015, and drawing on existing studies, the research identifies possibilities and issues for formal and informal actors of Armenian civil society to consolidate their potential. The research provides recommendations for civil society and confirms the importance of the strength of groups concealed in unified agenda and coordination.

Valentina Gevorgyan, Research Associate, American University of Armenia Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis

Valentina Gevorgyan is a political scientist with experience in research in contemporary social and political fields concerning Armenia. Her academic interests are in the spheres of society – state relations and democratisation of Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. Ms. Gevorgyan has served as a senior researcher of a four-year project (2012-2016) on Armenian civil society supported by the Academic Swiss Caucasus Net. She has also served as a national expert for a study on public administration reform in EaP countries supported by the EU Commission. Valentina has published articles on civil society, volunteering and security. She has presented at a number of academic conferences in the region of the South Caucasus and Europe. Valentina is a Fellow with the Civil Society Dialogue for Progress (EU Commission); Open Society Foundations Armenia, and a member of the UK Voluntary Sector Studies Network. Ms. Gevorgyan is a Research Associate at the Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis at American University of Armenia.

http://psia.aua.am/seminars-2016-2017/