Giustina Selvelli. Language Attitudes, Collective Memory and (Trans)National Identity Construction Among the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria

Giustina Selvelli’s monograph Language Attitudes, Collective Memory and (Trans) National Identity Construction Among the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria offers a compelling and original contribution to the field of diaspora studies, with particular relevance to Armenian diaspora research. The study explores the symbolic processes of identity formation initiated and maintained by the Armenian cultural elite in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, placing particular emphasis on how emotional elements, positive language ideologies, and collective memory are transmitted across generations.This anthropological and sociolinguistic study investigates how Armenian identity is constructed, sustained, and transmitted in the diaspora, focusing specifically on the Armenian community of Plovdiv. Selvelli demonstrates that language—particularly the use and perception of both Western and Eastern Armenian—and the Armenian alphabet are seen not merely as communicative tools but as powerful symbols of identity and historical continuity. Central to this identity is the role of collective memory, especially regarding the Armenian Genocide, forced migration, the refugee experience, and the memory of a lost homeland. These elements foster a sense of belonging and are manifested in communal rituals, literature, monuments, and cultural practices. Importantly, these memories are not passively preserved but are actively interpreted, curated, and disseminated by community leaders and cultural institutions.Selvelli emphasizes that diasporic identity is neither homogeneous nor confined to a single geographical or cultural frame. Rather, it is inherently transnational, shaped by ongoing interactions with Armenia, local Bulgarian society, other diasporic communities, and even the historical legacy of neighboring Turkey. This framework allows for an understanding of “nonexclusive belonging,” in which identity is conceived as multilayered and dynamic, rather than bounded or static.The book underscores the importance of educational institutions, cultural and charitable organizations, and material culture in the preservation and transmission of identity. Schools, weekend educational centers, local publications, charitable initiatives, monuments, gravestones, and church architecture are examined as key mediators through which the Armenian language, script, and collective memory are perpetuated.Selvelli’s analysis is grounded in a thorough historical overview of the Armenian community of Plovdiv, beginning with its roots in the Byzantine and Ottoman periods and continuing through the Hamidian massacres, the Armenian Genocide, the interwar period, communist rule, and post-socialist Bulgaria. These successive historical phases have left a distinct imprint on the linguistic practices and identity narratives of the community, which the author demonstrates are both fluid and anchored in long-standing symbolic structures.The monograph comprises a foreword, a preface by Boghos Levon Zekiyan, acknowledgments, an introduction, six chapters, a conclusion, a comprehensive bibliography, and an illustrative section.The chapter titled “History of the Armenian Diaspora of Plovdiv” traces the migration of Armenians to Bulgaria and the historical development of the Plovdiv Armenian community. It examines the transition from the Ottoman Empire to Bulgaria and explores the sociopolitical transformations experienced by the community under communist and postcommunist regimes.In “Language as an Idealized Space of Belonging,” Selvelli explores how language, script, and especially the Armenian alphabet serve as key markers of identity. The chapter includes a discussion of both Western and Eastern Armenian and a dedicated section on Mesrop Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian alphabet, whose legacy is central to Armenian identity preservation.The chapter “The Symbolic Cultivation of Identity in Education” focuses on the educational life of the Armenian community in Plovdiv, highlighting the challenges faced by schools—both pedagogical and organizational—and their role in transmitting cultural and linguistic heritage.A separate chapter is devoted to the role of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), with an emphasis on its publishing initiatives, commemorative practices, and cultural events, all of which contribute significantly to maintaining Armenian identity.In the chapter titled “The Genocide and the Lost Homeland in the Local Literature,” the author analyzes a range of Armenian publications from Plovdiv, from genocide memoirs to cookbooks. These works embody memory practices that are central to the identity of genocide survivors and, by extension, to the Armenian diaspora as a whole.Crucial insights into identity preservation are presented in the final chapter, “The Armenian Linguistic Landscapes of Plovdiv.” Here, Selvelli investigates how Armenian identity is visually and materially inscribed in urban space. The Armenian school’s interior and exterior signage, khachkars (cross-stones), monuments, tombstones, church domes, and plaques all serve as tangible markers of identity within the local environment.In her conclusion, the author reflects on the challenges of diasporic life in the contemporary world, considering the impact of globalization, modernity, and the digital age on identity formation. She addresses the complexities of multiple affiliations and the evolving nature of Armenian identity in transnational and multicultural contexts.Overall, Language Attitudes, Collective Memory and (Trans)National Identity Construction Among the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria is a rich, empirically grounded, and theoretically informed study. It avoids essentialist or static conceptions of identity and instead presents a nuanced portrait of how identity is actively produced, negotiated, and redefined in a diasporic setting. The book makes a significant scholarly contribution to the fields of ethnolinguistics, diaspora studies, memory studies, minority studies, and Southeast European studies.