(Dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Georgia’s independence)
December 9-10, 2021
Organizer: Varlam Cherkezishvili Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (East European University)
Online Platform: Zoom
Working languages of the conference: Georgian, English, Russian
Details: Georgia is a postcolonial country: the Russian Empire annexed the kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti (eastern Georgia) in 1801, and soon (1812), the same fate was shared by the Kingdom of Imereti (Western Georgia). During the following decades, Russian Empire subjugated the whole of Georgia to its rule. The imperialist discourse presented the annexation of Georgia as a benevolent event and was openly hostile to the manifestations of national self-consciousness. The independence gained in 1918 was short-lived, and in 1921 the Democratic Republic of Georgia again fell victim to (this time Bolshevik) Russia. For almost seven decades, Georgia was part of a new Soviet empire, and the changes that took place in the Soviet Union (NEP, Stalin dictatorship, “Thaw,” “Glasnost”) had a direct impact on the country’s political, cultural, and social life.
In 1991, Georgia regained its independence. However, the post-Soviet period did not turn out to be easy. The civil war, the loss of territories, the strained relations with Russia and the open war with the former metropole in 2008, the severe socio-economic background, and the intensified internal political confrontation that continues to this day are the unwelcome legacy of the post-Soviet period. However, at the same time, the European orientation of the country was clearly expressed: five-year Georgia-European Union Action Plan within the European Neighbourhood Policy was approved by EU-Georgia Cooperation Council in 2006 and Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia entered into force in 2016. After the restoration of independence, Georgia’s involvement in global economic, cultural, digital, and political flows has also been increasing. These political and economic processes have been accompanied by the dynamic process of reinterpretation of the colonial and Soviet past in the cultural domain.
Against this background, interdisciplinary postcolonial studies are of particular importance. What is the postcolonial heritage manifested in? Which areas of culture can we talk about in the postcolonial context? What characterizes the process of reception of the colonial/totalitarian period in the increasingly globalized world? Is it possible to explain past or present experiences with postcolonial research models and approaches? What trends can we identify in the processes of reinterpretation of the colonial / Soviet heritage? How do we imagine our development: by the reinterpretation of the colonial / Soviet heritage, its rejection or acceptance?
The online conference organized by Varlam Cherkezishvili Center for Interdisciplinary Studies aims to create a virtual platform within which researchers interested in postcolonial themes can express their positions, exchange ideas and findings, and lead productive discussions. The aim of the conference is also to facilitate dialogue between representatives of different disciplines (philology, philosophy, cultural studies, architecture, music, film studies, etc.) who are interested in postcolonial studies. The conference organizers hope that the exchange of views between representatives of different disciplines will contribute to the development of postcolonial research in Georgia and the Caucasus region in general.
Participation in the conference is free.
Those wishing to participate in the conference should send abstracts to the following address: interdisciplinary@eeu.edu.ge
In the body of the Email, the following information should be included:
- Name
- Academic status and academic degree of speaker
- Name of University and Faculty / Research Center
- Personal website address (on the institution’s website)
- Contact information: Email/Phone number
- Title of the report
Abstracts and papers should be prepared for blind review, so please ensure that the document is free from identifying personal details. The abstract submitted for consideration should represent original work that has not been published elsewhere.
The abstract of the report should be submitted in pdf format in Georgian, English, or Russian (font – Sylfaen, font size – 12, spacing between lines – 1,15, 300-500 words).
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 10 October 2021.
Authors will be notified of acceptance by 25 October 2021 at the latest.
The detailed program will be sent to the conference participants one month in advance via Email.
Papers presented at the conference will be published in 2022 in the edited volume “Interdisciplinary Postcolonial Studies,” Vol. 1, Tbilisi: East European University.
Contact person: Prof. Giorgi Tavadze (Varlam Cherkezishvili Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, East European University), Email: g.tavadze@eeu.edu.ge
Programme Committee
Prof. Giorgi Tavadze (Eastern European University)
Assoc. Prof. Tamar Chokoraia (Caucasus University)
Assist. Prof. Irakli Chkhaidze (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University)
Prof. Stefan Kiedroń (University of Wrocław / National Ossoliński Institute)
Prof. Ewa Grzęda (University of Wrocław)
Dr. Tamar Koplatadze (Queen Mary University of London)