During the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the global Armenian Diaspora rallied--organizing protests, raising funds, lobbying Congress, and spreading awareness online. But why did Armenian Americans, even those from later generations, feel such a deep call to action?
Using multiple sources of data from fieldwork conducted in Yerevan and Glendale, CA, in 2021-2022, Dr. Inna Mirzoyan's research reveals how younger generations of Armenians are redefining their identity and connections to their homeland in this presentation. Dr. Mirzoyan will explore how these factors drive activism across generations. Through powerful photos submitted by participants in her research, she will uncover how symbols of food and place play key roles in maintaining ethnic identity, even in times of crisis.
Inna Mirzoyan is a first-generation Armenian American and descendant of survivors of the Baku Pogroms in 1990. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Michigan State University, and teaches at Wayne State University in Detroit.