YEREVAN, Armenia — On May 6, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted an international brainstorming workshop jointly organized with the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO), Berlin. The event marked a key step toward developing the Handbook of the Modern History of the Caucasus, a forthcoming volume that aims to offer new, interdisciplinary insights into the region’s history.
The event, organized in a hybrid format, brought together more than 25 scholars from Armenia, Georgia, Europe, and North America and was co-led by Senior Research Fellow and Research Coordinator at ZMO Dr. Stefan Kirmse and Assistant Professor in AUA’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) Dr. Naira Sahakyan.
The workshop served as both a scholarly exchange and a collective planning session for the Handbook, which aspires to offer a fresh, multidimensional perspective on the Caucasus from the 18th century to the present. Rather than adhering strictly to conventional national or chronological divisions, the organizers encouraged participants to think across themes, borders, and empires — highlighting the transimperial, transregional, and interdisciplinary character of the region’s history.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from AUA Professor and CHSS Interim Associate Dean Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan, followed by addresses from the co-editors. Throughout the day, scholars presented their proposed contributions in short, focused sessions, followed by feedback and discussion.
Presentations spanned a wide range of topics, including transnational historiography, urbanism, sport, music and empire, resistance movements, Soviet nationality and language policies, and the post-Soviet political and social transitions. Contributors also explored lesser-studied aspects of the region, such as maritime history, visual memory, legal traditions, and oral histories. This diversity of approaches and perspectives underscored the complexity and richness of Caucasian history and the need for collaborative, critical scholarship.
By convening this diverse group of scholars in Yerevan, AUA continues to play a central role in fostering international academic dialogue and advancing research on the South Caucasus. The workshop not only marked an important milestone in the development of the Handbook, but also highlighted the potential for further institutional collaboration and regional engagement in the years ahead.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
