1996_03 The Daily Collegian March 1996

              March 1996
I
Hye Sharzhoom
Women's Studies Professor Challenges Ideas
By Sean. Clark
She has been at Fresno
State now for two semesters and
her appreciation for the students
here continues to grow. Some stu¬
dents will rise to the occasion and
reaffirm that there is hope for the
• shapers of the next generation, but
not without changing their perspec¬
tives. "Understanding the underly¬
ing themes of nationalism, gender,
and class structure allows us to
dissolve the stereotypes that we so
often malign against each other."
Anahid Kassabian educates to chal¬
lenge thinking patterns that, she
hopes, will eventually change the
way we behave. It is her endeavor
to further define family, historic,
and social relationships within her
students and her own Armenian
heritage.
Kassabian was bora in
New York City and grew up in a
community deeply immersed in the
Armenian experience. Her grand¬
parents came to America shortly
before the Turks began to aggres¬
sively persecute the Armenians.
Growing up she was actively in¬
volved with the Armenian com¬
munity participating interested in;
Armenian national politics and the
Dr. Anahid Kassabian, left, and Dr. Ludmila Haroutunian
Armenian Youth Federation
throughout high school. After
graduation however, she found that
the opportunities for a woman to
serve were restricted to comple¬
mentary positions and not the front¬
line action that she desired. She
continued her education in Europe,
where she met her husband, and in
America, receiving her Ph.d. from
Stanford University. Her current
projects focus on the societal per¬
spectives of class, gender, media,
and nationalism.
Attracted to Fresno State
because of its diversity and histori¬
cal Armenian community, she con¬
tinually encourages her classes to
think independently. With the re¬
source of materials she has col¬
lected, she gives them inspiration
to question the world around diem.
Kassabian distinguishes her classes
beyond a lecture course in that the
students are encouraged to invoke
the course of the discussion. A risky
method if the class doesn't volun¬
teer. This does not frighten her, "I
can tolerate silence a lot longer
than they can."   Fortunately the
Fresno Author Returns Home
By Mike Pogosjan
On the night of February
23y 1996, at St. Paul Armenian
Church, there was a gathering. The
gathering was for Mark Arax and
the signing of his book, In My
Father's Name a Family, a Town.o
Murder. When you walked into the
hall there was an overwhelming
feeling. There was warmth, com¬
munity, and most of all pride. It
was a time to gather and recognize
one of our own who had succeeded
in accomplishing his dream. Also
it was a homecoming for Arax from
a long journey.
All around me, I only
heard comments of how well the
• book was written or how much
someone had enjoyed reading the
book. You can imagine how happy
we were when Arax himself read
portions of his book to the audi¬
ence. Remembering that the book
is based on his family history, and
not a fictional account, mis is the
story of the struggles and tragedies
that his family has faced thmnoh-
out their lives. He began with his
grandfather's journey to America
and read portions up to his father's
death in Fresno. I was drawn in by
has narrative andemotionally bound
by the'i events one family went
through. There were parts that Mark
Arax read that made us laugh and
Cthat were deeply sad and mov-
The event was not simply
to gather and listen to reading or
seek an author's signature. It was a
evening ofrememberance for many.
Numerous people were friends and
family who associated with the
reading because they were there.
Certainly the reading stirred up
memories that were long forgotten.
Both joyous and melancholy, re-
s of the not so distant past
Mark Arax at signing for/n my Father's Name
left its impression on all.
It is a profound moment
when so many can be touched so
deeply at one time. Mark Arax's
book and presence defined that
moment Although I didn't know,
him personally, I was truly affected
students do participate and with
eagerness. However, she is careful
to keep the momentum controver¬
sial without becoming confronta¬
tional. It is a fine line she manages
successfully; unconstrained dia¬
logue about race, gender, and na¬
tionalism could become affrontive
and counter-productive to the dis¬
cussion.
Is there racism in Fresno?
What are the stereotypes still sur¬
rounding gender? Do we still have
barriers within the social structure?
And within the Armenian commu¬
nity what are the dissentions?
Kassabian engages to ask questions
concerning diaspora Armenians
versus those who have recently
emigrated, the distinctions between
Lebanese-Armenians and Russian-
Armenians, and the patriarchal con¬
ventions of most Armenian cul¬
ture. These are important contro¬
versial explorations whose outcome
will decide how the Armenian ex¬
perience will advance. "The Ar¬
menian question, 'Who are we af-*
ter the genocide?', is now only one
of several central questions. Who
we are now, and from now on, is
what we will be called upon to
answer within the nextgeneration."
The interview show of the Ar¬
menian Studies Program,
taped on campus and hosted
by Professor Barlow Der
Mugrdechian. Broadcast
schedule for March and April
1996 Continnental Cablevi-
sion Channel 4. Contact your
local cable company for
availabilty.
Thursday, March 7, 8:30 p.rr
Friday, March 8, 6:00 p.m.
Guest
Dr. Ludmila Haroutunian (I)
Thursday, March 14,8:30
Friday, March 15, 6:00
Guest
Dr. Ludmila Haroutunian (II)
Thursday, March 21,8:30
Friday, March.22, 6:00
Guest:*
Supervisor Doug Vagim
Thursday, March 28,8:30
Friday, March 29, 6:00
Guest:
Mayor Jim Patterson
Thursday, April 4,8:30
Friday, April 5,6:00
Guest:
Supervisor Deran Koligian
Thursday, April 11,8:30
Friday, April 12,6:00
Guest:
Dr. Anahid Kassabian
by his experience and the tragedy
that directed his personal journey.
Without hesitation I recomend In
My Father's Name a Family, a
Town, a Murder, not only as a his¬
tory of Fresno but as a gripping
account of the search for truth.
From left, Ara Jabagchourlan, philosophy; Lianna
Sarantos, accounting; Matthew Fenk, plant science-
agbusiness
Ara Jabagchourian, former Hye Sharzhoom edi¬
tor, was awarded the Leon S. Peters Leadership Award for
his leadership accomplishments and extra curricular activi¬
ties. He was nominated simultaneously by the the Philoso¬
phy and Economics Departments. At a luncheon honoring
the three recipients they were presnted with a plaque and
$1,500 scholarship. Aside from his efforts on Hye
Sharzhoom, Jabagchourian has served in the Economics'
Club, Philosophy Club and an Armenian Assembly Intern-
ship in Washington D.C.
t   Books Available through Armenian Studies Program
I
Ma±Arax
pm^jy^jyu^/SE^jyx^mw.m^m^^^
InMyFaiher'sName
A History of Qarabagh    .
Armenia Portraits of Survival
Warsaw VisitorandTaksfrom
the Vienna Streets
An Armenian Trilogy
George A. Boumoutian
Jerry Bemdt
William Saroyan
William Saroyan
$25 (he)
$10 (he)
$10 (sc)
$24 (he)
$14 (sc)
$22 (he)
$13 (sc)
■   '   O •