The collection of articles discusses various issues related to the ethnology of the independence of the Republic of Armenia — the Artsakh Movement and the process of establishing an independent state, the transformations and the formation of the institutional foundations of the state, everyday life, and festive-ritual practices. Despite the existence of various studies on independence, this collection is one of the first attempts to explore it from an anthropological and cultural perspective. It is also one of the first instances in which students were required to participate in micro-research projects, some of whom are co-authors of the articles.

The anthropological study of independence is important and relevant because, as the authors of the collection show, successes and failures, achievements and shortcomings are, at their core, generally “human” — conditioned by values, approaches, principles, and upbringing. Thus, anthropology remains essential for understanding independence and demonstrates that solving many problems cannot be effective without anthropological research.