My presentation at Eurasia International University in Yerevan on Social Media and its Potential for Conflict Resolution: Nagorno-Karabakh case

1. By
Philip Gamaghelyan

2.  Born inYerevan, moved to the US in 2000
 Managing Editor: Caucasus Edition (www.caucasuedition.net)
 Co-Director: Imagine Center of Conflict
Transformation (www.imaginedialogue.com)
 Turkish-Armenian dialogues: including with Harvard,
Princeton, Fletcher.Turkish-Armenian Student
Dialogue Group at Brandeis 2005-2007.
 Armenian-Azerbaijani dialogues: including youth
dialogue, conferences, social media, publications
 MA in Conflict Resolution from Brandeis University
 PhD candidate at Institute for Conflict Analysis and
Resolution of George Mason University

3.  Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process:
challenges, obstacles, needs
 Social Media and NK conflict

4.  NK Peace Process: OSCE Negotiations, no
progress on economic cooperation, security,
negative propaganda and perceptions fronts
 Do we really have a ‘Peace-Process’ in NK?
 Preparing for Peace or forWar?

5.  Propaganda by Governments and Media
 ‘Us vs.Them’ Dichotomy in Historical Narratives
 Closed Borders,Absence of Communication
 Stereotypes Reinforced and not Challenged
 Mistrust, Zero-sumVision
 Pressures,Absence of Peace Community
 No Avenues for Alternative or NewVoices
 No space for Self-Critical Voices

6.  Express/emphasize information that is
positive about “us”
 Express/emphasize information that is
negative about “them”
 Suppress/underemphasize information that is
negative about “us”
 Suppress/underemphasize information that is
positive about “them”
‘Ideological Square’ by LinguistTeun van Dijk (1998)

7.  Trace ancestry to 6th Century BC
 Do not acknowledge Azerbaijanis as a distinct
ethnic group
 Ascribe to Azerbaijanis all the negative stereotypes
they hold againstTurks
 Consider Azerbaijnais invaders responsible for
massacres, colonization, discrimination,
destruction of Armenian culture
 See Karabakh as a place where Armenians
preserved their identity
 Fear discrimination, ethnic cleansing, or possible
genocide of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians
under Azerbaijani rule

8.  Trace their ethnic ancestry from theTurks and
Caucasian Albanians
 Cultural traditions are mainly those of Shi’a Islam
 Consider the identity to be consolidated by various
accounts between 10th and 18th century
 Closely identify Armenians with Russians
 Consider that Armenians became majority in
Caucasus after Russian-Persian wars of 18th-19th
century and population exchange
 Consider Armenians responsible for massacres,
colonization, destruction of Azerbaijani culture
 See Karabakh as a birthplace of the Azerbaijni
identity and culture

9.  In the last 20 years the narratives have grown
increasingly hostile.
 Each portrays its own group as indigenous and
peaceful, prescribing oneself only positives
 Each portrays the other as archenemy who
destroys their population and cultural heritage
with the help of the assimilatory and
discriminatory policies of the regional powers,
Russia andTurkey respectively
 Both consider the other’s historical accounts a lie

10.  Social Media (SM) is just a tool
 Hard to Control (initial blogs followed
propaganda pattern; later not so much)
 Vehicle to Penetrate through closed Borders
 Platform for New and Alternative Voices
 Alternative Information Source (uncontrolled
messages)

11.  Georgia
 1,300,000 internet users (28% of population)
 365,900 Facebook users
 approx. 1,500 active blogs, mainly in Georgian. Topics vary, include
personal, social, with few political blogs present
 Armenia
 1,400,000 internet users (47% of population)
 76,700 Facebook users
 there is a variety of blogs in all three languages- Armenian, English and
Russian
 Azerbaijan
 3,690,000 internet users (44.4% of population)
 198,340 Facebook users
 Thousands of blogs in different languages, including Turkish and Iranian.
The English language blogs writing on political situation in the country,
but are popular due to the critical nature of their posts
Source: Internet World Stats. Data from Aug, 2010 (http://www.internetworldstats.com

12.  Social Media for Social Change Conference in
Tbilisi, April 2010
 Social Innovation Camp, Tbilisi, April 2010
 Global Voices On-line: Caucasus coverage
 Eurasia Partnership Foundation: Armenia-
Azerbaijani Unbiased Media Coverage
 Overcoming Stereotypes in the Caucasus
 Imagine Center for Conflict
Transformation/Caucasus Edition project
 And more ….

18.  Founded in 2007 by Armenian, Azerbaijani and
American conflict resolution practitioners.
 US-based, independent, non-political
organization
Mission:
Imagine Center is dedicated to positively
transforming relations and laying foundations for
lasting and sustainable peace in conflict-torn
societies.

19. Imagine Dialogue and Retreat Program
History and Today
- Program was started in 2007 as one time
dialogue project for Azerbaijani and Armenian
students studying in the US;
-Imagine Dialogue Program today:
-Network of over 100 young leaders across
borders in Azerbaijan and Armenia;
-2 web-sites created, one of which is an analytical
publication and a blog on NK
-Cross-sector work that builds bridges between
decision makers, researchers, social media and
young voices

20.  Conflict Resolution and Communication Skills Trainings: this component equips participants with
skills necessary for constructive communication and working through conflicts.
 Setting up the Objectives and Ground Rules: This interactive session allows participants to set
the tone for the workshops, giving them the opportunity to focus the workshop according to
their interests Interactive formation of ground rules for communication.
 Analyzing Historical Narratives : This session allows a joint reflection on the way each group
views its own history and exposes gaps in the way each side views the narratives of “the other”.
Allows to understand the roots of stereotypes, understand the context of the ‘other side’, take
a critical look at one’s own narrative
 Problem Solving Workshops: This approach developed by Harvard University Professor Herbert
Kelman allows the participants to look beyond positions and understand the underlying needs,
fears, concerns and hopes of both societies.
 Conflict Mapping: Allows participants to view the history and the present dynamics of the conflict
in one interactive map. By placing themselves in the conflict map, they are empowered through
the demonstration of their proximity and power to the conflict as young leaders.
 Joint Project Planning/Future-Centric Thinking: Conducted at the end of the workshop, joint
project planning allows participants from the different sides to brainstorm and plan projects
which they can implement together.

21.  Dialogue and network building for
young professionals
 Alumni-led cross border and in-
country activities
 Conferences and research devoted to
analyzing Nagorno Karabakh Conflict
 Social Media and Conflict Resolution

22. Series of Dialogue and Project Planningevents:
 May, 2007. Long Island, Maine, USA. 12 participants.
 May, 2008. Saluda, North Carolina, USA. 14 participants
 August, 2008. Catskills, NY, USA. 8 participants
 May, 2009. West Virginia, USA. 14 participants.
 June, 2010. Gudauri, Republic of Georgia, 16 participants
 October, 2010, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. 8 participants

23.  May 2009 and 2010. Conflict Resolution trainings in Baku and Yerevan. Over
50 participants
 June 2009. Meetings with opinion makers in Yerevan and Baku to discuss the
NK conflict and prospects for its resolution.
 August 2009. Retreat and Dialogue in Georgia, organized and facilitated by
Imagine alumni. 16 participants.

24.  September 2009. Boston,
USA. Fletcher School of Law
and Diplomacy, Tufts
University. The conference
brought together 16
Armenian and Azerbaijani
diplomats, prominent
researchers
 The second conference will
take place in the University
of Cambridge in 2011.

25. Background
 August 2009, Dialogue in Georgia: participants
initiate development of a blog and Internet-
based projects
 September 2009, Fletcher Conference: idea of an
analytical on-line publication devoted to NK
emerges
 2010: social media elements incorporated into all
Programs of the Imagine Center
 Social networking sites such as Facebook are
used by participants across borders to stay in
touch and generate discussion

26.  Launched: on April 15, 2010. On-line Journal of
Conflict Transformation: Caucasus Edition
 Purpose: contribute to improvement of the NK
peace process by providing a forum for
independent analysis of the conflict and its
resolution; encouraging cross-border dialogue
 Structure: Includes an analytical and a blog
section

29.  Workshop for young professionals interested in blogging in Tbilisi –
October 2010
 Neutral Zone: new blogging platform for parallel posts on social and
cultural topics
 I said, You said – video project focused on stereotypes
 Oral histories of women and other digital storytelling focused activities
 Imagine 2050 - Fiction Book, Utopia on peace
 Imagine 2011 – a new group of young professionals participate in
dialogue, are trained in Social Media skills, get involved in cross-border
on-line work

31. Thank You

32. Philip Gamaghelyan
phil@imaginedialogue.com