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.
Collective Voices, Zine Dedicated to Artsakh
We’re excited to announce the publication of 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.
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
How can the Armenian language thrive in the Diaspora? What initiatives, strategies, and targeted efforts are succeeding in sustaining and invigorating Armenian in its literary standards, colloquial or dialectal forms across generations and geographies?
This conference intentionally shifts the focus away from narratives of loss and toward examples of innovation, creativity, and success. The goal is to spotlight what is working in efforts to maintain, transmit, and cultivate Armenian in diasporic contexts. Comparative perspectives from other diasporic or minority language communities facing similar questions of vitality are also welcome. The program will feature academic panels and practitioner showcases to encourage dialogue between research and on the ground experience.
Deadline: July 27, 2025
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.
