Avi Kay
The Armenian Genocide is considered to be the first modern genocide; at the time it occurred it was unprecedented in scope. Despite extensive media reports of the Turkish actions against the Armenians and subsequent historical and political examinations of the events, to date there has been no systematic analysis of the psychological consequences of the events for the survivors. Indeed, an examination of the literature reveals an almost complete absence of “purely” psychological studies regarding the consequences of the genocide. In light of the paucity of psychological studies of the events, an examination of the psychological consequences of the Armenian Genocide is supplemented by the examination of other relevant sources, including written and oral testimonies of survivors, cultural expressions (such as literature and film), and media reports. In addition, explanations are put forward as to why one hundred years after the Armenian Genocide so little is known concerning its psychological ramifications. Finally, possible directions for future research are delineated.
