The Study of Out-Group Relations of The Diasporic Armenians Through Collective Memory

The present article is a study of out-group relations of the Armenians in Iranian society. The main question is that what the role of collective memory is in the Armenians identity system and what effects it has on their out-group relations. In this study, the existing literature in the field of memory studies and the new theory of nationalism are referred together to explain the problem. The main argument is that the power of collective memory of Armenians which comes from their diasporic life, has affected their nationalist identification. This has brought about a tension in relations among the Armenians in Iran and out-group and led them to an introverted and isolated/ closed social life. In this study, in-depth research and anthropological methods are used to collect and analyze the data.