Publication by PSIA Alumni in Journal of Contemporary European Studies

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YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to share that Tatevik Badalyan (MPSIA ’14, LL.M. ’21) together with Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan, former assistant professor of AUA’s Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program, recently published an article in the Journal of Contemporary European Studies, released by Routledge, a leading academic publisher in the humanities and social sciences. 

The article “The perceived rationale, variegated institutional take and impact of the EU’s human rights policy in Armenia and Georgia” takes a look at the 2006–2014 time-frame, beginning with the involvement of Armenia and Georgia in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), through signature of the Action Plans, and ending with Armenia’s backtracking from the EU in favor of accession to the Customs Union/Eurasian Economic Union. The research rests on ontological, epistemological and methodological foundations. The article draws on discourse and content analysis, as well as in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key officials and experts in Armenia and Georgia. The collected data are interpreted and ascribed a score utilizing self-devised scale for estimating the mean per country and measuring the human rights policy impact.

In conclusion, the article discloses the EU’s human rights policy toward Armenia and Georgia by filling in the caveats in the literature. It elucidates the differences between the two neighboring countries prior to 2014; although Georgia performed better in the sphere of human rights, Armenia also manifested propensity to reform. The article takes a step forward in enriching EU Studies and democracy promotion literature through refined analysis of the perceived rationale, institutional ‘voices’ and impact of the EU’s human rights policy in Armenia and Georgia. 

The Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program of the American University of Armenia (AUA) equips students with advanced analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and communication skills through the study of political science and international affairs, emphasizing local and global perspectives and practical applications of theory. The program provides world-class teaching and research, producing graduates who can best contribute to the development of the nation.