Georgia & Azerbaijan
The Caucasus in Transition: The Emerging Geopolitical Significance of Georgia and Azerbaijan
June 15–26, 2008
Itinerary
This 12-day seminar begins in Tbilisi (6 nights) and ends in Baku (5 nights). One-way group travel by air from Tbilisi to Baku is included in the seminar fee. Seminar participants should plan to fly home (or on to further travels) after the seminar from Baku.
Seminar Fee
CIEE Member: $3,100 Non-Member: $3,300
Academic Content (please note this is tentative and subject to change)
Lectures
- Overview of the Political and Cultural History of the Region
- The "Frozen Conflicts" in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
- Europe or Asia? West or East? Can Georgia be an ally of the United States?
- Collective Memory: How do Georgians, Azerbaijanis, and Armenians remember their past?
- The "New Silk Road": Implications of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline
- Emerging Democracy: What are the Particular Challenges for Establishing a Democratic Civil Society in the South Caucasus?
- The History and Present Situation of the Karabakh Conflict: Is Another War Inevitable?
- South Caucasus Political and Economic Union: Is it Desirable? Is it Possible?
- Azerbaijan and Islam: What Does it Mean to be a "Secular Muslim Society" in the Current Global Situation?
- Georgia and Religious Nationalism
- Russia’s Regional Influence
Co-curricular Site Visits & Field Trips
- Walking Tour of the Old Town of Tbilisi (Zioni Church, Narikala Fortress), Isani (Metekhi Church), Mtatsminda, Vake Park (Ethnographical Museum)
- Day Trip to Mckheta, the Ancient Capital of Georgia (Sveti Skoveli Cathedral; Chvari), including a visit to Stalin's hometown of Gori
- Day Trip to the Cave Monastery at David Gareja (currently cause of a minor dispute between Georgia and Azerbaijan)
- Walking tour of the Old Town of Baku (Maiden Tower, Shirvanshah Palace)
- Visit to the Zoroastrian fire temple in Ateshgah
- Day trip to the Site of the Bronze Age Petrogliffs in Gobustan
Rationale
Georgia and Azerbaijan are home to ancient civilizations situated in a region long at the mercy of larger powers. Georgia is predominantly Orthodox Christian, while Azerbaijan is a secularized Muslim country. Historically, both have experienced many different periods of occupation alternating with short interludes of relative independence. Recent sudden and radical changes, most importantly the fall of the Soviet Union and the ensuing transition to a market economy and a democratic form of government, have led to an increased U.S. and European interest and involvement in the area.
The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which transports oil from the Caspian to the Mediterranean Sea, is perhaps the most prominent manifestation of the region's rising geopolitical status. At the same time, however, the three "frozen" conflicts inherited by the Soviet Union, Abhkazia and South Ossetia (in Georgia), and Nagorno-Karabakh (between Azerbaijan and Armenia), still remain unsettled and add an element of uncertainty to the political and economic situation. This seminar will closely examine how Georgians and Azerbaijanis have been able to cope with the enormous complexities created by these developments.
Host Institutions
The seminar is hosted by the International Black Sea University (IBSU). IBSU is a relatively new university that has managed to become one of the leading international institutions of higher education in Georgia. It was founded in 1995 as the result of the collaboration of Turkish and Georgian educators. The university has a strong presence in the entire region and maintains close ties with institutions of higher education in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Its objective is to train Georgian and foreign students in scientific, technical and professional fields of study, and to contribute to the economic and social necessities of Georgia and its neighboring countries.
Seminar Leadership
Dr. Joachim Faust is a lecturer in Linguistics and International Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. He has a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of Kansas. Dr. Faust has had extensive living and work experience in the South Caucasus, Russia and Eastern Europe. His main areas of interest include intercultural cooperation and applied linguistics.
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