About Armen

Armen Gakavian was born in 1969 in Sydney, Australia, and is of Armenian background. Armen is first and foremost a committed Christian, who lives out his faith through personal and communal spiritual practices, and through confronting both his personal shortcomings and social injustice. he describes himself as "a researcher, lecturer and trainer, with local and overseas experience in personal, spiritual, leadership and community training and development." Armen's vision is to contribute to long-lasting personal and social change in individuals and communities, based on the principles outlined in the Christian gospels.

Academic life: Between 1994 and 2000 Armen was the convenor of the Armenian Genocide Research Unit of the Centre for Comparative Genocide Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney. During that time he lectured in East European Nationalism, International Relations and Social Change. He was also a researcher in public finance and higher education policy at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management. Armen received his PhD in political science from the University of Sydney in 1998. He specialised in the democratic movement in Armenia of 1988-1991 and the relationship between the Armenian Homeland and Diaspora.

Armen is currently teaching social change at the Macquarie Christian Studies Institute. He is the Centre Manager and a research associate at the Centre for Research on Social Inclusion, Macquarie University, with a special interest in community capacity building, multiculturalism, racism and welfare

Community work and Christian ministry: Armen is a member of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Sydney University, and a partner of TEAR Australia and other social welfare and development agencies. He was coordinator of the Macquarie University branch of the Jubilee 2000 Campaign for Third World Debt Relief. Until 2001 he was on staff with the Navigators, a campus-based Christian ministry.

Armen is currently a member of the City of Ryde Community Harmony Reference Group and chairs its Communication Sub-Committee. His extensive community involvement includes his role as co-founder of the Hye Hoki Armenian-Australian Youth Network, coordinator of the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s Bridge of Harmony project, and an active member of his local church, the Armenian Brethren Evangelical Church of Sydney.

Work in Armenia: In 2001-2004 Armen lived in Armenia, where he worked to develop leaders and facilitate social change research and practice. He taught Contemporary Issues of Sociology and Social Change at the State Engineering University of Armenia, and Theological Perspectives on Social Change and Social Justice at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Armenia. He also taught Principles of Leadership and Social Change at the Center for Leadership Development, Yerevan, and worked with the final year students of that Center to help them develop community projects. He was the founding director of the Social Change Research Project of the Yerevan Academy.

Armen also founded the Student Internship Program of the NGO Mission Armenia, and worked with other NGOs to develop community mobilisation programs and to provide training for social workers. He was on the staff team of the Christian Students' Union of Armenia and in this capacity worked to develop the personal character and faith of Armenian students and graduates.

©2001 RealChange  ABN 9775 1429
Contact Armen at agakavian@nareg.com.au
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