Dr. Kouloujian: Passionate Professor (Winter 07)

by Gareen Darakjian

For a person with a passion for the under-appreciated arts, it comes as no surprise that Doctor Hagop Kouloujian, himself, is the hidden treasure of UCLA’s diverse faculty.

A self-proclaimed academic, Dr. Kouloujian’s range of study extends from economic sciences to medieval Armenian literature. Anybody who has experienced one of his classroom discussions will testify to his masterful integration of the two areas of the spectrum. His fondness for untraditional and underacknowleged Armenian literature reflects his unassuming personality.

As a professor, Kouloujian embraces his Western Armenian language students and wholeheartedly encourages them to do the same with a romantic approach to his many areas of expertise. He hopes to enlighten people that are unfamiliar with the literary canon and stresses the difference between the canon of poetry and works outside of it, especially twentieth century Armenian literature.

His most valued literary is modernist poet, Vahe Oshagan. Oshagan modernized Armenian literature by incorporating aspects of diasporic Armenian life in his writing and separated himself from the conventional poetry of Armenia’s historical idealism and nostalgia.

Our esteemed professor believes in the untapped potential of the Armenian Diaspora to engage with the Armenian language and literature. He calls for young Armenians to look beyond the standardized material that is taught in the classroom and build a relationship independent of that. He speaks clearly of his dream of literature written by a western-born Armenian in his mother tongue and for Armenian writers to be brought to the forefront.

When asked about his primary goal in teaching the Armenian language to college-age students, his response was simple and clear: for his students to learn the language with which he has formed a connection.

For those who are familiar with the language, Kouloujian encourages, if not insists, that he or she structure a bond with the literature and to not be intimidated of the intricacies of the language. In doing so, Kouloujian promises that the reader will most definitely come across something valuable and perhaps form a similar relationship with the literature that he considers dear.

Kouloujian’s voice is imperative in the modern Armenian diaspora and provides a fresh approach to a language that has withstood many centuries. His current development is the study of virtuality as a philosophical dimension and its relation with the Diaspora culture. Another one of his many interests is “Menk,” a group of passionate young Armenians who study and appreciate the Armenian authors and scholars of the 1920s and 30s.

Currently, Dr. Kouloujian continues to study medieval Armenian poet, Krikor Naregatzi and is working on the Spanish translation of his works.