Departments
The Department of New Armenian Literature
The Department of New Armenian Literature aims at investigating the edition and publication of the phases of history of the Armenian literature. Of special interest is the problem of defining the line between the ancient and new literature.
Separate works were dedicated to the Armenian classical writers, and to the history of Armenian classicism and romanticism on the basis of which was created the “The history of New Armenian literature” in five volumes under the edition of academician S. Sarinyan. The volumes represent the entire history of New Armenian literature within the context of world literature development. These volumes were awarded a state prize of Armenia SSR In 1980.
The department represents different volumes with special reference to New Armenian literature among them are “The History of Armenian Criticism” in two volumes, “The History of Armenian Novel”, “The Chronology of New Armenian literature” in three volumes, which involve chronology and factual sources of New Armenian literature from 1801 to 1875.
The Department of Armenian Diaspora
The focal interest of the department are the works of diaspora authors. The research of the works is carried out with special reference to geographical-territorial method, which aims at revealing how the literature, culture and peculiarities of other countries influenced on Armenian writers and their works. Such kind of analysis underlines the importance of preservation of national identity and the relevance of integration to the other atmosphere.
The department represents the manuals and books dedicated to Hakob Mndzuri, Shahan Shahnur, Hamastegh, Hakob Oshakan, Zareh Vorbuni and other authors. A special publication is prepared “ The Encyclopedia of Armenian Diaspora Literature” which includes information about the literary organizations, media of diaspora and about the Armenian diaspora writers. The encyclopedia comprises more than 2000 terms.
The Department of Literary Theory
The comprehensive research of the history of Armenian literature led to the analysis of theoretical and typological problems. The aim of the department is to carry out the social perception and evaluation of the classic works and their influence on the social thought and way of thinking.
The literary theory touches upon the problem of literary images, characters, style and language, genre, plot and other literary concepts. The Department investigates the theory of Armenian Classicism, versification and prosody, the theory of Modern Armenian Literature, as well as the peculiarities of national literature within the framework of world literature.
The Department of Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature
For the institute it is of paramount importance the revelation of international relations of Armenian literature and literary connections. The volumes of “International connections of Armenian literature” and “Armenian-Russian literary connections” were published, as well as manuals - dedicated to the interconnections of Armenian literature with the literatures of other countries.
The research works continue in the field of literary and cultural connections between Armenian and Western-European countries, especially the illustration of collective Armenian image and identity in the European Literature.
The works of different European writers are investigated which reveal the Armenian image, the Armenian Literature and the literary generality between Armenians and other nations.
On the basis of large amount of literary factual materials we intend to publish the encyclopedia of “Armenian and World Literary Connections” in three volumes.
The Department of Textology
It is difficult to perceive the history of literature and the analysis of separate works of writers without comprehensive and corrected publications of originals.
In the last decade the works were published dedicated to Kh. Abovyan, M. Nalbandyan, G. Sundukyan, Raffi, H. Paronyan, P. Proshyan, Muratsan, H. Tumanyan, E. Charents, A. Bakunts and others.
Currently the entire scientific publications of the works of Avetik Isahakyan (14 volumes) and Nikol Aghbalyan (8 volumes) are realized.
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Hovhannes Tumanyan the entire re-edition of the 10 volume collection are published.
The Group of Annual Creative Activity and Life of the Armenian Classics.
The representation of the entire life activity of the Armenian writers is illustrated based on the whole factual material due to chronological process; year, month, day and even hours. Currently the chronology of Hovhannes Tumanyan’s life activity is being compiled. The first two volumes have been published which included the life activity of the writer till 1914. The third volume is in the process of publication (1915-1919).
The Department of Modern Armenian Literature – The department has the following publications; “The Chronicles of the Soviet Armenian Literature (1917-1975) in two volumes, S. Aghababyan’s “The history of The Soviet Armenian Literature” in two volumes, as well as separate researches dedicated to the authors of the modern period.
Of special interest in the department is the illustration of the problems of national identity in the modern Armenian literature, the transmission of the historic themes in the modern Armenian prose, as well as the general peculiarities of literary process and current literary critisizm.
Within the framework of the modern Armenian literature the peculiarities of Independence period literature is analyzed.