Armenia after 'Transition': What are the Prospects for Social Justice and Democracy?

The lecture begins by critically examining the 'transition' agenda and its legacy on Armenia's post-Soviet socio-economic and political developments. Drawing on critical social theory and situating developments in Armenia in a wider global context, the lecture asks - what are the prospects for social justice and democracy in Armenia? The lecture discusses current challenges (including poverty, inequality, and precarity) and considers the role of social policy in addressing those challenges.

Dr Armine Ishkanian is an Associate Professor and the Programme Director of the MSc in Social Policy & Development (State and NGO Streams) in the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics (LSE). Her research examines the relationship between civil society, democracy, development, and social transformation. She has examined how civil society organisations and social movements engage in policy processes and transformative politics in a number of countries including Armenia, Egypt, Greece, and the UK. She is the author of two books and numerous peer reviewed academic articles. She also is one of the co-editors of the openMovements page on openDemocracy.

This lecture has been organised on 18 May 2017 by Dr Krikor Moskofian (Director of the Programme of Armenian Studies).