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.

chapter |4 pages

Editors’ introduction

part |2 pages

PART I Conceptual frames

chapter 3|19 pages

Democratic repertoires: the South Caucasus case(s)

ByEVERT VAN DER ZWEERDE

part |2 pages

PART II Religion and politics

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

ByKETEVAN KHUTSISHVILI

chapter 5|15 pages

Political power and church construction in Armenia

ByYULIA ANTONYAN

chapter 6|17 pages

Islam in Azerbaijan: revival and political involvement

ByELNUR ISMAYILOV

part |2 pages

PART III Religion, nationalism and education

part |2 pages

PART IV Cultural values, ideology and democracy

part |2 pages

PART V International context and external impacts

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

ByHOVHANNES HOVHANNISYAN

chapter 14|17 pages

Russia’s soft power in the South Caucasus: discourses, communication, hegemony

ByALEXANDER KORNILOV, ANDREY MAKARYCHEV