As part of the Introduction to SOD course at AHO in 2025, one team team zoomed in on the curly topic of information integrity in Armenia, where geopolitics, media ownership and digital echo-chambers collide. Here is the overview of their project in their own words:
How can system oriented design (SOD) help us tackle the lack of information integrity that influences the Armenian people and their democratic process?
To understand Armenia’s current geopolitical situation, let’s frame it as a complicated love triangle. Armenia, with its rocky past, has had an on-again, off-again relationship with its toxic ex, Russia, ever since their breakup in 1991. This has left Armenia financially dependent on Russia.
But recently, Armenia has caught the eye of a new, exciting suitor: the European Union. The attraction to this idealistic, liberal partner has grown stronger, especially since the election of a reformist, Western-leaning prime minister in 2018. Yet is Armenia’s newfound affection for Europe truly genuine, or is the West simply using Armenia to provoke its former lover?
Like children caught in a custody battle, the Armenian population is split on which partner is the best choice. Meanwhile, the information landscape is a battleground in this ongoing tug-of-war. The forces of globalization have amplified Western influence through digital channels, fostering aspirations for a more democratic future. In addition to this, Armenia has its own problematic past, with privately owned media pushing their own bias, resulting in doubt and political polarization among the people.
In this context, the integrity of information becomes a key issue. With media sources often biased or controlled by political interests, the people of Armenia struggle to distinguish fact from fiction. This not only complicates the public’s ability to make informed decisions but also deepens the political divide, as competing narratives shape public opinion and trust in institutions.
Armenia’s love triangle.
Students
Signe Stålegård, Rebekka Fuglestad, Georg Ferdinand Nilsen, Lin Nora Tollefsen, Gudrun Hoff Gardå, Maria Jørgensen
Explore their gigamap
A Gigamap about information integrity in Armenia. Exploring the present challenges and leverage points to move Armenia into a desirable future.
Read the full report:
Why this matters
By surfacing power dynamics and media-trust fault lines, the team shows how transparent rules, inclusive dialogue and systemic feedback loops can rebuild information integrity—demonstrating the very approach introduced in our earlier class post and core to SOD practice.