Asya Darbinyan
Originally from Yerevan, Armenia, Dr. Asya Darbinyan has lived in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut over the past ten years, first as a doctoral student of history and now as a researcher and an educator. Her research and teaching expertise stand at the intersection of Armenian history, the history of Russian Empire, genocide, refugees, and humanitarian interventions. A recipient of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative’s Vartan Gregorian Scholarship and a Visiting Scholar at the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University, Asya currently works on her book project, tentatively titled “Russian Imperial Humanitarianism.” She has published articles and book chapters on the refugee experiences during the First World War and the Armenian genocide, focusing on the agency and actions of the Armenian refugees in addressing their suffering and plight. You can learn more about her scholarly work here: https://clarku.academia.edu/AsyaDarbinyan
Ten Things I Can’t Do Without
- Sense of humor
- Family in the United States, in Armenia, and in India
- Friends from around the globe
- Travel, 2020 was a terrible exception
- Teaching – lectures, trainings, and workshops, even if it’s only via Zoom
- Camera – preferably my Nikon, despite its weight and size
- Books – a major problem each time I have to move
- Piano – Chopin and Komitas saved me during the pandemic
- Windows – I need lots of light in my room, study, office, everywhere!
- Neighbor’s cat Conner – handsome, wise, polite, and friendly, he is a 19-year-old tuxedo cat that guards our neighborhood