Paradoxes of Proximity: Geography and Identity Expression in Georgia

How do individuals' experiences of violence and their geographical proximity to theaters of war affect their identity expression? Are they more likely to express exclusivist values versus inclusivist ones with regard to their own ethnic understanding? Scholars of identity disagree over how identity markers become salient in communities, disagreeing on whether we should predict outcomes based on common structural conditions (constructivism) or whether it is best to focus on how social and political entrepreneurs construct narratives to amplify ethnic or national claims around popular narratives (instrumentalism). In this seminar, we consider the case of Georgia, which established its independence amidst a series of conflicts, some with ethnic overtones, this study examines how experiences of violence and ones' proximity to previous theatres of conflict affect ethnic identity expressions.

Host or Publisher Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies