KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

A two-day conference entitled “Value Orientations of Young Peopleand Their Concerns” kicked off at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU).

The conference is held in compliance with the strategic plan for 2012-2013 academic year worked out by the Chair of Sociology and Social Work of the Faculty of Educational Psychology and Sociology.

Welcoming the participants of the two-day event, Rouben Mirzakhanyan, Rector of Armenian State Pedagogical University, Doctor of Historical Sciences, wished them fruitful work.Highlighting the theme of the conference, Mr. Mirzakhanyan said it focused on a serious issue. “If we try to understand the orientations of the present-day youth, it will be much easier for us to answer the questions they are concerned about.”

The ASPU Rector assured those present in the meeting that the best and most interesting works will find their place in the corresponding collection.

In his opening remarks, Vice-Rector for Science and Postgraduate Education,Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate ProfessorAraYeremyan said, “In the period of its sustainable development, our University attaches importance to those sciences that are of invaluable importance in the development of society. The participants of the conference will present their ideas and viewpoints on the value orientations of young people, their political participation, westernization, social activity and the ensuing consequences in a transformational society.” 

Gevorg Poghosyan, Professor of the Chair of Sociology and Social Work, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, associate member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, presented at the conference a report on “Young Armenia.”

The sociologist is seriously concerned that the youth in Armenia is ignored and paid little attention to. Meanwhile, he says today’s young people will form the country’s image in several years’ time.

Referring to the 20-year-old new generation of Armenia, Mr. Poghosyan said, “The youth subculture is diverse and varied.  We have witnessed significant historical events; a new generation - the first fruits and children of the independent Armenia - has formed before our eyes. Therefore, it is very important to understand who they are, what they want, what they long to be, what they like and what they dislike.”

Young careerists, protestants, elite “glamour” youth, professional youth, alienated, deviant or marginal youth - the sociologist says these are the main groups of the new Armenian youth that make the entire mosaic of the current youth subculture.

Robert Jijyan, Professor of the Chair of Sociology and Social Work, Doctor of Philosophy, raises sharp questions in his work “Moral Values of the Youth and Christianity.” Referring to the deeply-rooted egoism, craving for wealth and monopoly of money, the philosopher, despite finding the positive socialization of the youth impossible, hurries to offera recipe that will improve the current situation.

The conference is chaired by GevorgBrutyan, renowned philosopher of the 20th century, academician of the RA National Academy of Sciences, President of the International Academy for Philosophy and Armenian Philosophical Academy,Head of the International Scientific Institute of Metaphilosophy, Transformational Logic and the Argumentation Theory at the ASPU,  life member of the World Literary Academy (Great Britain), and member of dozens of other academies, SrbuhiGevorgyan, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Psychology and Sociology at the ASPU, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, HasmikPetrosyan, Academic Secretary at the ASPU and Yuri Gasparyan, Head of the Chair of Sociology and Social Work.

The conference will continue its work tomorrow.