Download or read book Mobilizing in Uncertainty written by Anastasia Shesterinina and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2021-03-15 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do ordinary people navigate the intense uncertainty of the onset of war? Different individuals mobilize in different ways—some flee, some pick up arms, and some support armed actors as civil war begins. Drawing on nearly two hundred in-depth interviews with participants and nonparticipants in the Georgian-Abkhaz war of 1992–1993, Anastasia Shesterinina explores Abkhaz mobilization decisions during that conflict. Her fresh approach underscores the uncertain nature of the first days of the war when Georgian forces had a preponderance of manpower and arms. Mobilizing in Uncertainty demonstrates, in contrast to explanations that assume individuals know the risk involved in mobilization and make decisions based on that knowledge, that the Abkhaz anticipated risk in ways that were affected by their earlier experiences and by social networks at the time of mobilization. What Shesterinina uncovers is that to make sense of the violence, Abkhaz leaders, local authority figures, and others relied on shared understandings of the conflict and their roles in it—collective conflict identities—that they had developed before the war. As appeals traveled across society, people consolidated mobilization decisions within small groups of family and friends and based their actions on whom they understood to be threatened. Their decisions shaped how the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict unfolded and how people continued to mobilize during and after the war. Through this detailed analysis of Abkhaz mobilization from prewar to postwar, Mobilizing in Uncertainty sheds light on broader processes of violence, which have lasting effects on societies marked by intergroup conflict.

Download or read book Russia s Recognition of the Independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia written by Nikoloz Samkharadze and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Discordant Neighbours A Reassessment of the Georgian Abkhazian and Georgian South Ossetian Conflicts written by B. George Hewitt and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2013-03-27 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2008 Georgian-Russian war focused the world’s attention on the Caucasus. South Ossetia and Abkhazia had been de facto independent since the early 1990s. However, Russia’s granting of recognition on 26 August 2008 changed regional dynamics. The Caucasus is one of the most ethnically diverse areas on earth, and the conflicts examined here present their own complexities. This book sets the issues in their historical and political contexts and discusses potential future problems. This volume is distinguished from others devoted to the same themes by the extensive use the author (a Georgian specialist) makes of Georgian sources, inaccessible to most commentators. His translated citations thus cast a unique and revealing light on the interethnic relations that have fuelled these conflicts.

Download or read book From Conflict to Autonomy in the Caucasus written by Arsène Saparov and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-08-27 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the first historical work to study the creation of ethnic autonomies in the Caucasus in the 1920s – the transitional period from Russian Empire to Soviet Union. Seventy years later these ethnic autonomies were to become the loci of violent ethno-political conflicts which have consistently been blamed on the policies of the Bolsheviks and Stalin. According to this view, the Soviet leadership deliberately set up ethnic autonomies within the republics, thereby giving Moscow unprecedented leverage against each republic. From Conflict to Autonomy in the Caucasus questions this assumption by examining three case studies: Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh are placed within the larger socio-political context of transformations taking place in this borderland region during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It examines demographic, social and economic consequences of the Russian colonization and resulting replacement of traditional societies and identities with modern ones. Based on original Russian language sources and archival materials, the book brings together two periods that are usually studied separately – the period of the Russian Civil War 1917–20 and the early Soviet period – in order to understand the roots of the Bolshevik decision-making policy when granting autonomies. It argues that rather than being the product of blatant political manipulation this was an attempt at conflict resolution. The institution of political autonomy, however, became a powerful tool for national mobilization during the Soviet era. Contributing both to the general understanding of the early Soviet nationality policy and to our understanding of the conflicts that have engulfed the Caucasus region since the 1990s, this book will be of interest to scholars of Central Asian studies, Russian/Soviet history, ethnic conflict, security studies and International Relations.

Download or read book Conflict in Nagorno Karabakh Abkhazia and South Ossetia written by Tim Potier and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-12-28 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The conflicts in the South Caucasus are now a decade old, but still appear impervious to solution. The hopes that independence raised have been dashed by an insidious cocktail of past and present regional hegemony, historical antipathy and Soviet planning. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, thus, continue to wait for their long awaited Spring. In a region where Western academic writing has focussed, during the last decade, almost exclusively on the dynamics of regional security and Great Power rivalry, even in the context of conflict, this volume provides an important and necessary legal appraisal of the possible processes and structures which may, ultimately, facilitate the finding of constitutional settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In the work, Tim Potier, an academic lawyer with much experience in the Caucasus, has written a powerful but dispassionate account which will prove not only to be of use to academics, diplomats and government officials working in the region, but also be of lasting value to the ongoing development of the international law on self-determination and autonomy. Dr Potier also considers the fate of what he prefers to term, `regionally non-dominant titular peoples'.

Download or read book Under Siege written by Tom Trier and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under Siege is the first book in any language to document and analyze the ethno-political dynamics of Abkhazia - a region located in the north eastern corner of the Black Sea - which broke away from the post-Soviet Republic of Georgia following a bloody civil war. For fifteen years the region was a de facto independent, though internationally unrecognized, state, until August of 2008, when the short war over South Ossetia (another breakaway territory) ended in Russia's official declaration that Abkhazia and South Ossetia were sovereign. Though few are familiar with the political and economic mechanics of this small, post-Soviet country, Abkhazia has become a crucial component of Russia's struggle to redefine its global influence and a major player in its geopolitical battle with the West. "Under Siege" clarifies Abkhazia's ethno-political dynamics, which have played a major role in the country's state building efforts and have shaped the conditions under which many ethnic communities live. Abkhazians, Armenians, Georgians, and Russians all call Abkhazia home, and this volume explores the effect of the government's de facto status on these groups' idea of nationhood and how continuing tensions between Georgia, Abkhazia, and Russia fail to improve the socio political situation of the region.

Download or read book The Caucasus written by Thomas De Waal and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new edition of The Caucasus is a thorough update of an essential guide that has introduced thousands of readers to a complex region. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the break-away territories that have tried to split away from them constitute one of the most diverse and challenging regions on earth, impressing the visitor with their multi-layered history and ethnic complexity. Over the last few years, the South Caucasus region has captured international attention again because of disputes between the West and Russia, its unresolved conflicts, and its role as an energy transport corridor to Europe. The Caucasus gives the reader a historical overview and an authoritative guide to the three conflicts that have blighted the region. Thomas de Waal tells the story of the "Five-Day War" between Georgia and Russia and recent political upheavals in all three countries. He also finds time to tell the reader about Georgian wine, Baku jazz and how the coast of Abkhazia was known as "Soviet Florida." Short, stimulating and rich in detail, The Caucasus is the perfect guide to this fascinating and little-understood region.

Download or read book The Abkhazians written by George Hewitt and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-19 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook provides a ready introduction and practical guide to the Abkhazian people and language. It includes chapters written by experts in the field, covering all aspects of the people, including their history, religion, politics, economy, culture, literature and media, plus pictures, chronologies and appendices of up-to-date statistics, maps and bibliographies. This volume forms part of the Peoples of the Caucasus series which is an indispensable - and accessible - resource to all those with an interest in the Caucasus: journalists, aid workers, regional specialists in government, law, banking, accounting, as well as tourists, business people, students and academics.

Download or read book Conflict in the Caucasus written by Svetlana Mikhaĭlovna Chervonnai︠a︡ and published by Gothic Image Publications. This book was released on 1994 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Abkhazia 1992 2022 written by Metin Sonmez and published by Amazon. This book was released on 2022-10-12 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 14th of August 2022 is the 30th anniversary of the start of the war between the Georgians and the Abkhazians in the decades-long dispute over ownership of the small territory known to the autochthonous Abkhazians as Apsny, to the Georgians as apxazeti, and to most of the world as Abkhazia. For much of the world, the territory remains either a thoroughly unknown or, at best, poorly known country and, for many, a disputed region… This project is the continuation of the earlier “Reflections on Abkhazia: [14 August] 1992-2012”, which was completed 10 years ago. It aims to bring together different points of view on Abkhazia and the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. The authors were given complete freedom regarding the content of their texts. The views they express in their contributions for this project do not necessarily reflect the views of the AbkhazWorld.com website. The texts have been listed alphabetically according to the names of the authors. List of authors: Aivar Jürgenson, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Humanities, Tallinn University. Estonia; Senior Research Fellow in Literature Museum, Estonia. Alexander Iskandaryan, Political scientist, the Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute. Armenia. Aslanbek Mirzoev, Historian. Institute for Humanitarian Studies - branch of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nalchik. He was a former Circassian volunteer from Kabarda. Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia. Beslan Kobakhia, The public and political figure of Abkhazia. During the 1992-93 Georgian - Abkhazian War, he was head of the government commission for the exchange of prisoners of war and the protection of the civilian population. Abkhazia. Cem Kumuk, Independent researcher and writer on the history of the Caucasus for about 40 years. Turkey. Charlotte Hille, Assistant professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam. Dr Hille is specialised in State building, conflict resolution, and international mediation. Netherlands. Christopher Langton, Director of The Independent Conflict Research & Analysis (ICRA). He spent thirty-two years in the British Army. During that time he served as the Deputy Commander of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) as well as holding various attaché posts in Russia, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. United Kingdom. Clayton Payne, Researcher on environmental governance in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. SOAS, University of London. United Kingdom. Dieter Boden, Ambassador (ret) Former Special Representative of the UNSG in Georgia (1999 - 2002). Germany. Dodge Billingsley, Director, Combat Films & Research and Global QRF. Editor and Contributor: OE Watch (FMSO), Author: Fangs of the Lone Wolf: Chechen Tactics in the Russian Chechen Wars 1994-2009. United Kingdom. Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University (DCU) where he lectures on post-Soviet politics, unrecognised states, Irish studies, and foreign policy. Ireland. Edward Mihalkanin, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas State University. U.S.A. Elçin Başol, Lecturer at Aydin Adnan Mendered University, PhD Candidate at Kadir Has University, International Relations Department. Turkey. Fehim Taştekin, a Turkish journalist and a columnist for Turkey Pulse who previously wrote for Radikal and Hurriyet. Tastekin specializes in Turkish foreign policy and Caucasus, the Middle East, and EU affairs. France. Giulia Prelz Oltramonti, Assistant Professor in International Relations at ESPOL, Université Catholique de Lille, France. She has written on the political economies of conflict in the Caucasus and on informality in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. France. Inal Khashig, Journalist, editor of JAMnews. Abkhazia. Jade Cemre Erciyes, Editor of the Journal of Caucasian Studies (JOCAS). Turkey. Karlos Zurutuza, Freelance correspondent specializing in the Caucasus and the Middle East regions. He has reported for numerous publications including Al Jazeera, IPS, Vice, Deutsche Welle, and The Diplomat. Basque Country. Ketevan Murusidze, Peace Researcher and Practitioner. Georgia. Kieran Pender, Writer for the Guardian. Australia. Marina Elbakidze, Project Coordinator at the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development and coordinator of the ‘Memory Project’ in Tbilisi. She is a lecturer in psychology at the Department of Organisational Psychology, Tbilisi State University. Since 1997 she has participated in a range of peacebuilding activities and has played a key role in Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue processes. Georgia. Maxim Gvindzhia, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. Abkhazia. Natella Akaba, Historian, Chairperson of the board of the Association of Women of Abkhazia. Abkhazia. Paata Zakareishvili, Georgia’s former Minister of Reconciliation. Tbilisi, Georgia. Patrick Armstrong, Political analyst. He was an analyst in the Canadian Department of National Defence specialising in the USSR/Russia from 1984 and a Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow from 1993-1996. Canada. Paula Garb, Senior Fellow at the Center for Peacemaking Practice, George Mason University. For twenty years she co-directed the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding which she co-founded at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). USA. Ramesh Ganohariti, Ph.D. Researcher, Dublin City University, Ireland. Rick Fawn, Professor of International Relations. University of St Andrews. Scotland. Stanislav Lakoba, Professor in Archeology, Ethnology and History at the Abkhazian State University. Former Secretary of the Security Council of Abkhazia. Abkhazia. Stephen Shenfield, Specialist on politics and society in Russia and the post-Soviet region. For several years he produced the Research and Analytical Supplement to Johnson’s Russia List. USA. Thomas de Waal, Senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. United Kingdom. Timothy K. Blauvelt, Professor of Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies at Ilia State University in Tbilisi. Georgia. Ucha Nanuashvili, Founder at Democracy Research Institute DRI; Project Director at Human Rights Center; Former Public Defender of Georgia. Georgia. Uwe Klussmann, Freelance Journalist. He was a correspondent for the magazine “Der Spiegel” in Moscow from 1999 until 2009. During that time, he travelled to Abkhazia thrice. Germany. Ümit Dinçer, President, Yasemin Oral, Vice President of the Federation of the Caucasian Associations (KAFFED). Turkey. Vadim Mukhanov, Head of Caucasus Department of The Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO). Russia. Vitaly Sharia, Honoured Journalist of Abkhazia. Editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Echo of Abkhazia and author of the Ekho Kavkaza. Abkhazia. Vladislav Bugera, Philosopher, political publicist, and independent left-wing activist. Russia. Zaira Khiba, Linguist & Translator. United Kingdom. Metin Sonmez (Comp. & Ed.) & George B. Hewitt (Ed.)

Download or read book Clientelism and Nationality in an Early Soviet Fiefdom written by Timothy K. Blauvelt and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-05-30 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on extensive original research, this book tells the astonishing story of early Soviet Abkhazia and of its leader, the charismatic Bolshevik revolutionary Nestor Lakoba. A tiny republic on the Black Sea coast of the USSR, Abkhazia became a vacation retreat for Party leaders and a major producer of tobacco. Nestor Lakoba became the unquestioned boss of Abkhazia, constructing a powerful local ethnic "machine" that became an influential component of Soviet patronage politics, provoking along the way accusations of nepotism, corruption, blood feuds, embezzlement, racketeering, and extrajudicial murder on a scale that shocked even hardened Communist Party investigators. Lakoba and his group faced a series of trials, investigatory commissions, and tribunals over allegations of malfeasance, yet they were repeatedly able to convince their powerful patrons of their irreplaceability, until at last they were destroyed through a public show trial during the peak of the Stalinist Terror. Through the prism of tiny Abkhazia, this book provides invaluable insights into the nature of the early Soviet system and the governance of Soviet national republics.

Download or read book The Russian Military and the Georgia War written by Ariel Cohen and published by Strategic Studies Institute. This book was released on 2011 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this monograph, the authors state that Russia planned the war against Georgia in August 2008 aiming for the annexation of Abkhazia, weakening the Saakashvili regime, and prevention of NATO enlargement. According to them, while Russia won the campaign, it also exposed its own military as badly needing reform. The war also demonstrated weaknesses of the NATO and the European Union security systems.

Download or read book Conflict Resolution in De Facto States written by Sebastian Relitz and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2022-07-22 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the challenges of conflict resolution in protracted conflicts and conceptualises and analyses the practice of engagement without recognition in de facto states. Increasingly, engagement without recognition is seen as a promising approach to conflict resolution in de facto states, but little is known about its implementation and results. This book addresses that lacuna and develops an analytical model to assess international engagement, focusing on implementation on the ground. This model enables a comprehensive analysis of international engagement's scope, areas, and methods. Further, the book also explores the context of engagement in de facto states, which has a significant impact on its implementation and results. In this way, the book also advances our understanding of the opportunities, obstacles, and limitations of engagement without recognition. The analysis is based on the current EU engagement in Abkhazia and draws from other cases in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and beyond and finds that international engagement with de facto states is more comprehensive and multifaceted than previously known. However, it also faces some distinct challenges and produces modest results. Finally, the book provides practical recommendations on how to better utlilise the peacebuilding potential of engagement without recognition. This book will be of much interest to students of conflict resolution, statehood, peace and conflict studies, and international relations.

Download or read book The Policy of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in Abkhazia Georgia the Main Tool of Aggressive Separatism written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Report of a UNPO Mission to Abkhazia Georgia and the Northern Caucasus written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book National Identity and Ethnicity in Russia and the New States of Eurasia written by Roman Szporluk and published by M.E. Sharpe. This book was released on 1994 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an Informa company.

Download or read book Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States written by Zbigniew Brzezinski and published by M.E. Sharpe. This book was released on 1997 with total page 906 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A mammoth volume on the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), assembling major accords and protocols that form the institutional framework of the Commonwealth, key political statements by leaders of CIS member states, coverage of CIS responses to internal crises, and a detailed chronology of developments in the early years of the CIS's existence, plus color maps and statistics. Introductory notes to each group of documents supply historical background and highlight the inner dynamics of the CIS. An introduction places the dissolution of the USSR and the development of the CIS in a larger historical and geopolitical context. Includes contacts of CIS embassies and consulates in the US. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR