ABSTRACT

This book explores developments in the three major societies of the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – focusing especially on religion, historical traditions, national consciousness, and political culture, and on how these factors interact. It outlines how, despite close geographical interlacement, common historical memories and inherited structures, the three countries have deep differences; and it discusses how development in all three nations has differed significantly from the countries’ declared commitments to democratic orientation and European norms and values. The book also considers how external factors and international relations continue to impact on the three countries.

part I|52 pages

Conceptual frames

chapter 2|16 pages

Ethnicity, nation and religion

Current debates and the South Caucasian reality

chapter 3|19 pages

Democratic repertoires

The South Caucasus case(s)

part II|55 pages

Religion and politics

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

chapter 4|18 pages

Secularization and desecularization in Georgia

State and church under the Saakashvili government (2003–2012)

chapter 6|16 pages

Islam in Azerbaijan

Revival and political involvement

part III|50 pages

Religion, nationalism and education

chapter |5 pages

Introduction

chapter 7|15 pages

Building Georgian national identity

A comparison of two turning points in history

chapter 9|14 pages

Constructing national identities through general education

Religion in Armenian schools

part IV|52 pages

Cultural values, ideology and democracy

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

chapter 10|16 pages

An analysis of counter-hegemony

Challenges of political opposition in Azerbaijan

chapter 11|16 pages

Myths and politics

“Old” beliefs and “New” aspirations in independent Armenia

chapter 12|14 pages

Collectivism/individualism in the South Caucasus

Implications for democracy

part V|54 pages

International context and external impacts

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

chapter 14|17 pages

Russia's soft power in the South Caucasus

Discourses, communication, hegemony

chapter 15|14 pages

Between ambition and realism

Turkey's engagement in the South Caucasus