by Tsypylma Darieva

The Political and Cultural Fate of Karabakh Armenians in Armenia
by Ivaylo Dinev, Nadja Douglas 

by Diana Bogishvili

Speakers: Nina Frieß (ZOiS), Lela Rekhviashvili (Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, IfL)
Moderation: Hannah Guhlmann (ZOiS)

by Tsypylma Darieva

by Tigran Amiryan

by Lia Tsuladze

Editors:Dr. Shalva Dzebisashvili, Konstantine Ioseliani, Vazha Sopromadze, Andrew Cragg

PD Dr. Tsypylma Darieva, Senior Researcher am Zentrum für Osteuropa und internationale Studien (ZOiS)

 Dr. Sonja Schiffers, Leiterin der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Büro Tbilissi -Region Südkaukasus

Marcel Röthig, Leiter des Regionalbüros Südkaukasus der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)

by Institute for Caucasus Studies at Friedrich Schiller University Jena
December 09, 2024

Venue: FSU Jena, Kleiner Sitzungssaal (Raum 101) at Fürstengraben 27 (Rosensäle) in Jena

On 9 December, the Institute for Caucasus Studies at Friedrich Schiller University Jena cordially invites to a public discussion on "Georgien nach den Wahlen"/"Georgia after the elections". The discussion focuses on the development of civil society, relations between the European Union and Georgia, the prospects of scientific cooperation with Western institutions and the legal dimension of the crisis in Georgia. Speakers will be Stefan Meister (DGAP, German Council of Foreign Relations), Tamar Khoshtaria (CRRC Georgia/Ilia State University Tbilisi), Bidzina Lebanidze (Friedrich Schiller University Jena) and a fourth speaker (TBC). The discussion will be moderated by Irena Gonashvili and Veronika Pfeilschifter (both FSU Jena). 

by ZOiS and Berghof Foundation 
November 06, 2024

Summary Closed Session

“Grassroots engagement in restoring peace through dialogue and confidence building”
The closed session was opened by ZOiS and Berghof organisers. Four short contributions provided a basis for a constructive discussion, chaired by Tsypylma Darieva (ZOiS). The first speaker, Sebastian Relitz from the NGO “Corridors”, addressed challenges for peacebuilding in the South Caucasus both on the broader societal (dealing with self-isolation and societal traumas) and the civil society level  (weak social embeddedness, small peacebuilding community, shrinking space for activities). He concluded by presenting concrete examples of formal peacebuilding education projects conducted by “Corridors” in the region. Bakhtiyar Aslanov from Berghof Foundation continued by laying an emphasis on the perception of peacebuilding activities in the respective societies (Armenia and Azerbaijan) and the impact on regional minorities. He provided insights into the work of civil society as well as external arbitrators and problematized conflicting interests related to their work. He finished by drawing attention to various oral history projects on the ground conducted by Berghof as inclusive processes (involving war veterans, displaced people etc.). The third speaker, Nadja Douglas from ZOiS, spoke about confidence-building processes on the ground as a means of conflict transformation. She presented recent findings from a KonKoop project, in which she engaged in a mapping and evaluation confidence building measures (CBM) between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the track 2 and 1.5 levels.  She pointed out the importance of covariation between international and regional level/events in the context of CBM. She concluded by drawing lessons from past initiatives for future CBMs. The last speaker, Vadim Romashov from Tampere University/Finland, presented insights from the field of critical peace research. He investigated practices of “everyday peace” and coexistence in local communities of Armenians and Azerbaijani in rural areas of Georgia. He found that communal narratives help those communities to achieve a form of “living together with differences”. He finally underlined the need to concentrate on “spaces” and less on “actors” and “institutions” in the context of “peace-supporting” activities. The ensuing discussion revolved around grassroots engagement and track 2 initiatives/ dialogue formats to build trust between conflicting parties, making them more susceptible towards peace. Notably, the participants discussed key lessons from past CBMs, addressed the issues of fears and disillusionment in the respective societies, potential avenues for grassroots actors to become more involved in confidence and peace-building processes and ultimately the important role of certain target groups of these initiatives, such as borderland communities, younger generations and key multipliers. Highlighting local communities as agents of peace, tolerance and coexistence, the participants agreed that it is not the issue of “building peace, but rather supporting peace”. Tangible spaces of peace and local culture of cooperation and co-existence are in need of support, rather than (international) NGOs and state institutions.  
 
Summary Hybrid event
“Building confidence and fostering societal dialogue. Insights from Armenia and Azerbaijan”
The hybrid panel discussion, moderated by Janel Galvanek (Berghof Foundation) brought together renowned peace activists/researchers from Armenia and Azerbaijan (Mikayel Zolyan from Armenia and Shujaat Akhmazada from Azerbaijan in person, Leyla Alieva from Azerbaijan/UK and Philip Gamaghelyan from Armenia/US via Zoom). They discussed how the needs within respective societies have changed over the years, in particular since the 2020 war and September 2023. The prerequisites for and aims of a prospective peace agreement have evolved accordingly. The changing threat situation, it was argued, represents a decisive factor today: Outside forces are much more powerful today in exercising influence on the regional situation, manipulating conflict narratives, and using the conflict parties Armenia and Azerbaijan for external vested interests. There was a consensus that societal moods remain ambivalent, but there was a general fatigue in view of renewed hostile activities and war. The absence of a formal peace process today has also revealed the weaknesses of the former liberal peace agenda pursued by external mediators, such as the OSCE Minsk Group. There is now a new focus on intra-societal peacebuilding within both Armenia and Azerbaijan, but the societies are advancing, if at all, slowly. In general, it was underlined, that the peace potential in societies is higher than commonly expected. The tenor of the experts was that there is a need to further invest in critical education projects and knowledge production on the ground to eventually create a common regional vision of conflict transformation.

by ZOiS Caucasus Network and The Institute for Asian and African Studies (HU Berlin)
October 18, 2024

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, critical approaches to imperialism, colonialism and the situation of the ethnic minorities in Russia, Ukraine as well as Georgia gained a new impetus. But it seems that the Russo-Ukrainian War may also be interpreted as another horrifying expression of Russian imperialism and nationalism, which have already been impacting societies—both directly or indirectly—for a longer period of time and which several scholars have been indicating in their work. Whereas the Russian Orthodox Church declares Russia’s war against Ukraine a ‘holy war’, comparably little attention has been payed so far to the religious minorities and their perceptions, public status or activism in various forms. Before this background, we would like to shift our attention specifically to Muslim minorities in the post-secular societies where Orthodox Christianity is a state-sponsored religion. How do Muslim believers draw attention to their own heritage, aim for participation or—where this is not possible—create a niche for themselves within mainstream society, form communities of utopian character, write alternative histories and envision the future? Participants in the workshop are encouraged to engage with a case study that introduces one specific Muslim community with its particular visions of a continued existence even in difficult circumstances.

by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde e.V.
October, 07-08 2024
ceecon, the DGO-Congress of Central and East European Studies, is the largest multidisciplinary congress on Central and Eastern Europe in the German-speaking realm. It was established in 2022 as a cooperation between the German Association for East European Studies (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde / DGO e.V.) and the Institute for East European Studies (Osteuropa-Institut /OEI) of Freie Universität Berlin. In 2024, the Centre for East European and International Studies (Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien / ZOiS) joint ceecon as a cooperation partner.
For more information click here.
For a short summary click here.

Nach der Übertragung von vier Dörfern an Aserbaidschan erlebte Armenien im Mai eine der größten Protestbewegungen gegen die Regierung seit der samtenen Revolution 2018. Die „Tavush for the homeland“ Bewegung hat das Ziel, die laufenden Verhandlungen mit Aserbaidschan zu stoppen und die Regierung unter Ministerpräsident Nikol Paschinjan zu stürzen. Es ist bezeichnend, dass die Proteste nicht von einem Politiker angeführt werden, sondern von Erzbischof Bagrat Galstanyan. Die steigende Zahl enttäuschter Menschen, darunter nicht nur Bewohner*innen der Region Tavusch, sondern auch Vertriebene aus Karabach, stellt Armenien erneut vor gewaltige politische und gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen. Welche innenpolitischen, aber auch außerpolitischen, Faktoren beeinflussen die derzeitige Protestbewegung? Inwieweit wird die außenpolitische Wende der armenischen Regierung von der zivilen Gesellschaft in Armenien hinterfragt? Welche Rolle spielt dabei die Armenisch-Apostolische Kirche? Inwieweit bekommt die Tavusch-Bewegung Unterstützung aus dem Ausland, insbesondere aus der Diaspora? Welche Folgen hat die Protestbewegung für den Friedensprozess aber auch für die Annäherung an den Westen?
Für mehr Informationen zum Event klicken sie hier. 

Migrants who left Russia since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 represent a highly heterogeneous group within and across host countries. This presentation draws on an original face-to-face surveys of around 4,300 respondents in Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We find that different countries seem to attract specific socio-economic segments with marked differences in age, level of education or sector of employment, and background in Russia. Our samples pick up a younger, highly educated, urban segment with a large number of employees from the IT sector in Armenia and Georgia, whereas the samples in Kyrgyzstan and Turkey are highly diverse, and the sample in Kazakhstan picks up migrants with lower levels of education and a large share of employees from the construction and trade sectors. Reflecting on these socio-demographic differences, attitudes about Russia’s war against Ukraine and Russian politics vary greatly, as do their political behaviour and social values. We will provide some insights into the findings for each country.
For more information about the event click here.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde e.V.
23.05.2024
Am 14. Mai hat das georgische Parlament in dritter Lesung für einen Gesetzentwurf “zur ausländischen Einflussnahme” (zuvor Gesetz zu “ausländischen Agenten”) gestimmt, der vorschreibt, dass Organisationen, die mehr als 20% ihrer Finanzmittel aus dem Ausland erhalten, sich als “Verfechter der Interessen einer ausländischen Macht” registrieren lassen müssen. Eine tatsächliche Implementierung des Gesetzes würde weitreichende negative Konsequenzen für die georgische Zivilgesellschaft und die Demokratisierung des Landes haben. Ebenso würde die georgische Regierung die Aufnahme Georgiens in die Europäische Union (EU) aufs Spiel setzen. VertreterInnen der EU haben deutlich unterstrichen, dass das Gesetz gegen europäische Normen verstoßen würde. Trotz anhaltender Massenproteste hält die Regierung an dem Gesetz fest. In einer virtuellen Podiumsdiskussion möchten wir mit den Experten auf folgende Kernfragen eingehen: Wieso fokussiert die georgische Regierung sich auf die Zivilgesellschaft und welche konkreten Auswirkungen hat das Gesetz auf sie? Warum hat sich die georgische Regierung für eine erneute Implementierung des Gesetzes zu “ausländischen Agenten” entschieden? Welche Auswirkungen hat das Gesetz auf die georgische Außenpolitik und die Sicherheitsarchitektur? Wie können das “Gesetz zur ausländischen Einflussnahme” und das "Offshore-Gesetz" in die politische Ökonomie des Landes eingeordnet werden?
Link zur Aufzeichnung.

The conference serves as a platform for survey professionals, researchers, policymakers, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders from Eastern Partnership countries and beyond to delve into critical issues surrounding surveying practices. With a focus on ethical challenges, research fatigue, and methodological innovations, the conference aims to foster dialogue, share insights, and explore strategies for advancing the integrity and effectiveness of public opinion research. 
For more information click here.

This workshop aims to explore innovative, creative methodologies, including visual, sensory, multimodal, and other approaches, in understanding the dynamics of living with/in difference. We invite particularly scholars focusing on Central and Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Balkans. While emphasizing these regions, we can also welcome some contributions offering case studies from diverse corners of the world that will broaden our perspectives, and benefit from the dialogue, on the newest developments in the study of conviviality, everyday peace patterns and (migrant/minority/refugee) social engagement and resistance. The workshop seeks to provide a platform for engaging discussions on methodologies that explore and visualise conviviality and tensions in multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies and that capture the nuanced experiences of diverse communities. The event will serve as a hub for scholars to exchange ideas, share experiences, and explore cutting-edge methodologies that creatively explore living in/with difference. The goal is to foster a dialogue, showcasing innovative approaches to research that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries.
For more information about the event click here. (KonKoop)
For more information about the event click here. (ZOiS)