PSIA Seminar Discusses Civic Activism, Political Activism and Social Media in Armenia

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On March 29th, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Political Science & International Affairs (PSIA) program held a public seminar led by Dr. Yevgenya Jenny Paturyan on civic activism in Armenia.

The topics of discussion during the seminar were about the visibility of civic activism in Armenia, whether current political culture is conducive for civic activism, and whether the internet is a good tool for mobilizing potential activists.

The talk explored these topics through public opinion survey data, based on four data sets from 1997 to 2013. It examined social and political participation (both actual and potential) among the Armenian population, and use of social media by various groups. The analysis presented was part of a larger ongoing research project on civic activism in Armenia.

Dr. Yevgenya Jenny Paturyan specializes in the sphere of civil society, political culture, volunteering, democratization of post-communist countries, research methodology and corruption. She received her PhD in Political Science from Jacobs University Bremen. Prior to joining AUA as an assistant professor, she worked at the Eurasia Partnership foundation and in the Caucasus Research Resource Centers – Armenia. She is the team leader of a four-year research project about Armenian civil society, and has authored publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Jenny Paturyan is an AUA PSIA alumna.

More information on previous and upcoming PSIA Seminars can be found at: http://psia.aua.am/psia-seminars/

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 a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.