Dr. Christina Berian Pelosky: Content Analysis of Undergraduate Courses and Course Content on the Armenian Genocide in United States Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to determine how many courses exist, or how much course content exists in Division IA colleges/universities regarding the Armenian Genocide in undergraduate higher education throughout the United States. Armenians throughout the world commemorate the genocide of 191 5 on April 24 each year to remember the slaughter and displacement of the thousands of Armenians during the rule of the Ottoman Empire (Balakian, 2003; Hovannisian, 1986; Melson, 1992; Miller & Miller, 1993). The Ottoman Empire succeeded in killing an estimated 1.5 million Armenians and eliminated the possibility of their living as a group in the homeland they inhabited for 3000 years (Boyajian & Grigorian, 1998; Dadrian, 1995).
As presented in this research, there are numerous, scholarly historical analyses and survivor accounts that contend the Turks desire to exterminate the Armenian race (Balakian 1997,2003 ; Dadrian, 1995; Hartunian, 1968; Jemazian, 1990; Miller & Miller, 1993). However, the most unbelievable aspect of this particular genocide is that the Turkish government has yet to admit their guilt or responsibility for these killings (Balakian, 1997,2003; Dadrian, 1995,1999 a, 1999 b, 2003).
The data for this study were collected by accessing every Division 1A college/university web page and then researching their program catalog for courses on the Armenian Genocide. There were a total of three universities or 2.6 % of the 116 Division IA colleges/universities that offered stand alone undergraduate courses on the Armenian Genocide and nine other schools or 7.8% (excluding stand-alone courses) that offered course content, through their undergraduate Holocaust/genocide courses, on the Armenian Genocide. A total of 12 or 10.3% of the 1 16 Division LA schools offer undergraduate stand-alone courses and/or course content on the Armenian Genocide.
This research discusses the possible reasons as to why this horrific event is presently not covered in college/university curricular programs in the United States. The question remains, why, since this topic, this atrocity, which was so massive and so controversial historically and politically to this day, is the Armenian Genocide not being reviewed and discussed in a scholarly environment such as higher education in the United State of America?