YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to share that the English version of The 44-Day War: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Struggle for Nagorno-Karabakh, first released in Armenian in 2025 by NewMag publishing house, is now available internationally. The book is published by Bloomsbury and is available in open access.
AUA faculty members Dr. Asbed Kotchikian, Dr. Naira Sahakyan, and Dr. Narek Sukiasyan contributed individual chapters, providing in-depth analyses of different aspects of the conflict. The anthology, edited by Vicken Cheterian, features 16 chapters written by scholars from various countries and disciplines.
“The 44-Day War is a vital resource for understanding the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War through an array of interdisciplinary approaches that span international mediation, power consolidation, narrative framing, and military and diaspora dynamics,” said Dr. Naira Sahakyan, assistant professor at AUA. “My chapter on Armenian official discourse covering nearly the entire independence period complements this picture by discussing the language and rhetoric through which Armenian official leadership articulated the war, how legitimacy, national identity, and existential threat were expressed in official statements. By combining my analysis with the volume’s other perspectives, my contribution helps create a more holistic understanding of the war’s causes, conduct, and aftermath.”
The volume examines the causes and consequences of the 2020 Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, a major armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The first section explores why the 26-year ceasefire collapsed, the shortcomings of international mediation, Armenia’s failure to anticipate the conflict, and the rise of autocratic rule in Azerbaijan.
The second section analyzes the role of international actors, including Russia’s unexpected positioning, Turkey’s growing influence in the South Caucasus, and the absence of support from American Christian groups traditionally sympathetic to Armenians.
The final section discusses the war’s aftermath, including post-war diplomatic efforts, the failure of the Russian peacekeeping mission that culminated in the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, and comparative insights with the Russia-Ukraine wars.
By bringing together expert perspectives, The 44-Day War sheds light on the conflict’s broader implications for Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and situates it within the new era of inter-state wars reshaping global politics.
The contributions of AUA faculty to the volume reflect the University’s commitment to fostering scholarship that engages with pressing regional issues. Their work highlights the value of academic research in broadening understanding of complex conflicts and their wider implications.
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.