THE ARMENIAN LOBBY IN EUROPE. THE ESSENCE AND OPERATIONAL CONTEXT OF ETHNIC LOBBYING

By: Gevorg Ghukasyan,

Yerevan, 2024, 200 p.

The purpose of the study is to uncover the transnational political role of ethnic lobbying in contemporary political processes, assess the structural-functional capacities and operational characteristics of the Armenian lobby in Europe, identify lobbying entities, and analyze their scope of influence and potential role in Armenia-EU relations. The study evaluates the role of the ethnic lobbying institution in the process of political modernization. Additionally, the research examines the potential of ethnic lobbying as a form of “soft power,” explores its manifestations in the context of multicultural value systems, and systematically analyzes the interaction and interdependence within the “homeland-diaspora-host state” triad. The study identifies Armenian diaspora lobbying structures in Europe, their main areas of activity, and toolkit, while revealing the EU’s political stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. The analysis also addresses intra-European perceptions of ethnic lobbying and the institutional and legal opportunities for lobbying, including ethnic lobbying, within the EU. This monograph is intended for political scientists, historians, Armenologists, policymakers, lecturers and students of higher education institutions in Armenia, as well as the wider reading public.