Welcome to the Institute of Armenian Studies, a hub of research and learning at USC that studies the contemporary Armenian diaspora and Republic of Armenia.
California History Through Armenian Experiences
An oral history project that documents and highlights the diverse and intersecting histories of Armenian-Americans living in California.
Research & Scholarship
We conduct, foster, and make accessible cutting-edge research in Armenian Studies, offering new perspectives and insights.
Educational Excellence
We provide robust educational programs and mentorship that empower students and academics with Armenian Studies knowledge, producing the next generation of global scholars and leaders.
Public Engagement
We produce public-facing programming that provides opportunities for intellectual and cultural engagement, while building transnational connections to support and amplify Armenian Studies scholarship.
Seminal Scholars Residency with Inaugural Scholar Dr. Hrach Martirosyan
This fall, the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies inaugurated its Seminal Scholars Residency with Dr. Hrach Martirosyan—one of the foremost linguists working on Armenian today. Throughout his residency, Dr. Martirosyan demonstrated how scholarship can both illuminate the past and engage new generations, leaving a lasting mark on USC and the wider community.
Armenian Studies Courses
The Institute offers students from all majors and backgrounds the opportunity to enroll in two interdisciplinary courses, MDA 330 and MDA 333, which focus on Armenian topics from global and diverse perspectives. Each course is offered once per semester, allowing students to deeply engage with the material. Click below to learn more about available courses at USC.
It Takes a Diaspora to Raise a Language: Future Directions for Armenian
The USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies and Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation announce It Takes a Diaspora to Raise a Language: Future Directions for Armenian, an interdisciplinary academic conference to be held at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from February 27 – March 1, 2026.
Undergraduate Armenian Studies Research Symposium
The USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, in collaboration with the USC Armenian Student Association (ASA), announces a call for proposals for USC’s second annual Armenian Studies Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The symposium will take place on April 10, 2026 as part of USC’s Armenian History Month programming.
Collective Voices, Zine Dedicated to Artsakh
The USD Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies publishes Collective Voices, a zine featuring original writing and art about Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). An experimental magazine, or “zine,” is a print media format that affords creativity in both content and presentation, unbound from traditional publishing structures.
The project originated at Artsakh Uprooted: Aftermaths of Displacement, the Institute’s multidisciplinary symposium in November 2024. In the spirit of that groundbreaking program, Collective Voices harnesses cultural production to amplify Armenian stories and experiences.
Language Therapy with Dr.K
Rolling into its fourth year of production, Language Therapy with Dr. K, hosted by sociolinguist and Institute Director Dr. Shushan Karapetian, is a podcast series that explores language in all its dimensions. Join Dr. K as she delves into conversation with leading scholars, educators, and practitioners about the unexpected ways that languages shape our world.
An intellectual space for scholars, educators, artists, and practitioners to critically debate the intensely relevant role of language in all social contexts – from the burdens of diasporic mother guilt, to myths about bilingualism, to post-colonial hybrid identities, to AI and much more.
From Our Studio
Scholars in conversation about topics that matter.
