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Ethno-Political Conflicts in the Caucasus - JTM269

Title:	Ethno-Political Conflicts in the Caucasus
Guaranteed by:	Department of Russian and East European Studies (23-KRVS)
Faculty:	Faculty of Social Sciences
Actual:	from 2023
Semester:	winter
E-Credits:	6
Examination process:	winter s.:combined
Hours per week, examination:	winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
Capacity:	28 / unknown (15)
Min. number of students:	unlimited
4EU+:	no
Virtual mobility / capacity:	no
State of the course:	taught
Language:	English
Teaching methods:	full-time
Teaching methods:	full-time
Note:	course can be enrolled in outside the study plan enabled for web enrollment priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan

Guarantor:	doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D.
Teacher(s):	doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. Lamiya Panahova
Class:	Courses for incoming students
Incompatibility :	JMM130

Examination dates WS schedule Noticeboard

Annotation

Last update: doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. (10.09.2023)

Ethno-political conflicts are not a phenomenon peculiar to the region of the Caucasus. But they became part of the region’s post-Soviet history following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this context, this one-semester course sheds light on key aspects of ethno-political conflicts in the region by combining an understanding of major concepts and theories of ethno-political conflict initiation and separatism with an analysis of the case studies of Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The course will also draw attention to latent hotspots of ethno-political tensions across the region.

Aim of the course

Last update: doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. (10.09.2023)

The goal of this course is to supply students with the relevant conceptual vocabulary and historical contexts to understand and to analyse the emergence and occassional sparks of ethno-political conflict in the post-Soviet region of the South Caucasus.

Course completion requirements

Last update: Bc. Sára Lochmanová (05.10.2023)

REQUIREMENTS

1) Attendance is mandatory as the course is designed as a seminar where substantial student participation is needed.

2) For every three weeks, a position paper of around 300 words should be prepared, to be submitted in Moodle. Position papers should address reading for particular class. They should be done individually not as a group effort.

3) On week 12, using a ‘workshop’ format students present & get feedback from the lecturer and course mates on their first draft of their final paper.

4) A final paper of around 2500 words will be uploaded on Moodle with an indicated deadline.

5) Active class participation –20%, position papers –30% and final paper draft (for the workshop) – 20%; final paper –30%.

EVALUATION

A - "výborně - A" - "excellent - A"
B - "výborně - B" - "excellent - B"
C - "velmi dobře - C" - "very good - C"
D - "velmi dobře - D" - "very good - D"
E - "dobře - E" - "good - E"
F - "neprospěl/a - F" - "fail – F”

See Dean´s provision https://www.fsv.cuni.cz/opatreni-dekanky-c-172018aj

More in SMĚRNICE S_SO_002: Organizace zkouškových termínů, kontrol studia a užívání klasifikace A–F na FSV UK.

Updated, 4.09.2023

Literature

Last update: doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. (04.09.2023)

READING ASSIGNMENTS

1. Introduction to the course

· Syllabus

2. Historical Context of the Region

· Cornell, Small Nations and Great Empires: A study of ethno-political conflict in the Caucasus <https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/podzim2012/MVZ208/um/35586974/Small_Nations_and_Great_Powers__A_Study_of_Ethnopolitical_Conflict_in_the_Caucasus__.pdf> (Chapters 1 and 2)

Further reading(s)

· Frederik Coene’s The Caucasus (Introduction chapter, see SIS).

3. Understanding main concepts: identity, ethnicity, nationalism (First Position Paper)

· Howard, ‘Social Psychology of Identities’ in

Further reading(s)

· Eriksen, ‘Ethnicity vs Nationalism’ in < http://www.hyllanderiksen.net/Ethnnat.pdf>

4. Defining ethno-political conflict

· Gilley, ‘Against the Concept of Ethnic Conflict’,

Further reading(s)

· Varshney, ‘Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflict’, < http://ashutoshvarshney.net/wp-content/files_mf/varshneyethnicityandethnicconflict.pdf>

5. Theorizing the causes of ethno-political conflicts and separatism

· Suleimanov, ‘Understanding ethno-political conflict’ in

Further reading(s)

· Siroky, ‘Explaining Secession’ in

· Brown, G., ‘Development and conflict: theoretical and empirical linkages’, Securing Peace: State-building and Economic Development in post Conflict Countries, (2011), 53-70.

6. Escalation in ethno-political conflict (Second Position Paper)

· Carment & James, ‘Escalation in Ethnic Conflict: A Survey & Assessment’ in

Further reading(s)

· Oliveira, ‘A discussion of Rational and Psychological Decision-making Theories and Models’, in

· MIT Security Studies Program, in < http://ssp.mit.edu>

7. Reconciliation in ethno-political conflict

· Bloomfield et al (eds.), ‘Reconciliation after violent conflict’, in (Part Two)

Further reading(s)

· Kaufman, S., ‘Escaping the Symbolic Politics Trap: Reconciliation Initiatives & Conflict Resolution in Ethnic Wars’, Journal of Peace Research, 43/2 (2006), 201-218.

8. Case study I - the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: the causes & escalation

Further reading(s)

· Gasparian, Arsen, ‘Understanding the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: Domestic politics and twenty-five years of fruitless negotiations 1994-2018’, Caucasus Survey, DOI: 10.1080/23761199.2019.1674114 (2019).

9. Case study II - the South Ossetia conflict: the causes & escalation (Third Position Paper)

Further reading(s)

· Vincent M. Artman, ‘Documenting Territory: Passportisation, Territory, and Exception in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Geopolitics’, 18:3, (2013), 682-704, DOI:10.1080/14650045.2013.769963

10. Case study III - the Abkhazia conflict: the causes & escalation

Further reading(s)

· Gerrits, A., Bader, M., ‘Russian Patronage over Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Implication for Conflict Resolution’, East European Politics, 32/3 (2016), 297-313.

11. Cases of latent ethnic conflict in the region

· Azerbaijani & Armenian minorities in Georgia, in < https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/caucasus/georgia/georgia-s-armenian-and-azeri-minorities >

· Avar, Lezghin and Talysh minorities in Azerbaijan, in (Part on Azerbaijan)

· Yazidis, Russian & other minorities in Armenia, in (Part on Armenia)

· Ingush Ossetian Conflict, in

· Matevosyan, V., Currie, B., ‘A conflict that did not happen: visiting the Javakhk affair in Georgia’, Nation and Nationalism(2018), 1-21.

12. Workshop

Teaching methods

Last update: doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. (04.09.2023)

The course is seminar-based and will take place offline, which means that the lecturer will open up the discussion on the reading material of the week by laying out the main concepts and questions which will be followed by students' interventions and analytical discussions. The reading material will be accessable in Moodle.

Syllabus

Last update: doc. Adrian Brisku, Ph.D. (10.09.2023)

Ethno-political Conflicts in the Caucasus (JMM 130)

Associate Professor Adrian Brisku, PhD

Doctoral Student, Lamiya Panahova

Department of Russian & East European Studies, Charles University

https://cuni.academia.edu/adrianBrisku

adrian.brisku@fsv.cuni.cz

lamiya.panahova@fsv.cuni.cz

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Ethno-political conflicts are not a phenomenon peculiar to the region of the Caucasus. But they became part of the region’s post-Soviet history following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this context, this one-semester course sheds light on key aspects of ethno-political conflict in the region by combining an understanding of major concepts and theories of ethno-political conflict initiation and separatism with an analysis of the case studies of Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The course will also draw attention to latent hotspots of ethno-political tensions across the region.

A. COURSE DESIGN

1. Introduction to the course (Brisku)

2. Historical Context of the Region (Panahova)

3. Understanding the main concepts: identity, ethnicity, nationalism (Brisku)

4. Defining ethno-political conflict (Brisku)

5. Theorizing the causes of ethno-political conflict and separatism (Brisku)

6. Escalation of ethno-political conflict (Panahova)

7. Reconciliation in ethnic conflict (Brisku)

8. Case study I – the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: causes & escalation (Panahova)

9. Case study II – the South-Ossetia conflict: the causes & escalation (Panahova)

10. Case study III – the Abkhazia conflict: the causes & escalation (Panahova)

11. Cases of latent ethnic conflict in the region (Panahova)

12. Workshop (Brisku)

Updated,

4.09.2023