The Armenian land question is referred to as a distinct social problem concerning the seizure of lands belonging to Armenians in the late Ottoman period. This lecture will detail the history of the emergence and transformation of this social problem. Dr. Polatel will talk about two major trends that he argues were at the core of the Armenian land question. The first is the liberalization of the Ottoman economy and the acceleration of its integration into the world economy. These developments brought about the commodification of land along with new conceptions of property rights. The second factor shaping the transformation of the Armenian land question was the rise of territorial nationalism and demographic concerns which subsequently brought about the politicization of land and land ownership. Dr. Polatel’s lecture will examine the ways these conflicting macro trends shaped the scope and the characteristics of land disputes, and how this problem was interpreted by different actors.

Photo Caption: Harvest in the Dzvsdan [Elmalık] village of Van

Photo Credit: Originally in Keghuni (Venice, 1905), p. 65; this image was taken from Raymond H. Kévorkian and Paul B. Paboudjian, 1915 Öncesinde Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nda Ermeniler [Armenians in the Ottoman Empire before 1915] (Istanbul: Aras, 2012), p. 540.

If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to attend this event, please reach out to us (tumanyan@umich.edu) at least 2 weeks in advance of this event. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.