INDIGENOUS OUTSIDERS: Explores the endangered architectural legacy of the Adjara region’s Muslim communities in Georgia (indigenousoutsiders.com)

(indigenousoutsiders.com) Across Adjara, over fifty mosques built between 1817 and 1926 survive today—some the center of religious revival in their communities, others abandoned. This research project showcases those wooden mosques, with the aim of broadening our understanding of Georgia’s rich and varied architectural heritage

Wooden Mosques explores the endangered architectural legacy of the Adjara region’s Muslim communities. This unique architecture flourished in the decades between the twilight of Ottoman rule and the rise of Soviet power. The Lesser Caucasus’ mountainous climate provided both architectural challenges and opportunities for craftsmen who traveled freely across the Georgian-Turkish border, rendering in wood and paint what would have been stone and tile elsewhere. Moreover, these mosques feature figurative decoration often thought to be forbidden by the faith. These remote structures are architectural testaments to multi-confessionalism in the Caucasus and represent a distinctive expression of vernacular mosque design that underscores the diversity of the Muslim experience worldwide. At the same time, these buildings in their design and decoration are unmistakably Georgian mosques built under Ottoman influence rather than Ottoman mosques imposed on Georgian territory.

Across Adjara, over fifty mosques built between 1817 and 1926 survive today—some the center of religious revival in their communities, others abandoned because of secularization, depopulation, or the appeal of newly-constructed mosques built with Turkish funding, materials, and design. This research project showcases many of these historic wooden mosques, selected for their diversity in location, design, and conservation status. Through an exploration of this architectural legacy, the project seeks to broaden our understanding of Georgia’s rich and varied architectural heritage.

PROJECT TEAM
Suzanne Harris-Brandts is a Canadian architect and PhD candidate in Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her work examines the politics of architecture, particularly with regards to symbols of power and national identity in the post-Soviet South Caucasus and Occupied Palestinian Territories. Prior to her doctoral studies, she received an MArch from the University of Waterloo. Her work has been published and exhibited in various international outlets, and she has worked at design/research practices across the globe, including in Toronto, Vancouver, London, the West Bank, and Abu Dhabi.

Angela Wheeler is a PhD student in architecture at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. Her work explores heritage, national identity, and architectural history in the former Soviet Union. After working with the International Council of Monuments and Sites as a Fulbright research grantee in Tbilisi, she completed an MSc in Historic Preservation at Columbia University (2016). Her thesis, Socialist in Form, National in Content, investigated the historical turn in late Soviet architecture and attempts to reconcile historic preservation with Soviet ideology in the Brezhnev era. She recently contributed a chapter on mosques of Russia and the Caucasus to Rizzoli's Mosques: Splendors of Islam (2017) and is currently writing the Tbilisi volume for DOM's Architectural Guides series (2018).

Vladimer Shioshvili is a Georgian-American photographer who documents street art and urban transformations in Tbilisi. He enjoys setting up his tripod and exploring odd angles. Vladimer’s work has been published online and in print in Tank magazine, the Guardian, retrograd.co.uk, and the calvertjournal.com.

FEATURED LOCATIONS
There are over fifty mosque sites across the Adjara Region of Georgia, some of which are highlighted below. More informations: indigenousoutsiders.com/Locations



INDIGENOUS OUTSIDERS INDIGENOUS OUTSIDERS showcases the architectural heritage of Georgia's minority Muslim community in Adjara. #GrahamGrantee www.indigenousoutsiders.com

PROJECT EXHIBITION
22 JUNE -06 JULY 2018
We are pleased to announce the Tbilisi showing of our exhibition "Wooden Mosques: Islamic Architectural Heritage in Adjara" from 22 June - 06 July 2018. Please join us for the opening reception on Friday, June 22nd @ 18:30 at the gallery at 9 Atoneli St, Tbilisi.

We look forward to seeing you there!

INSTAGRAM: indigenous.outsiders
w: www.indigenousoutsiders.com

Caring for Georgia’s old wooden mosques. By Clément Girardot The Caucasian nation might be predominantly Christian Orthodox, but it also harbours a valuable, often forgotten, Muslim heritage. The architecture and photography project “Indigenous Outsiders” carried by Suzanne Harris-Brandts, Angela Wheeler and Vladimer Shioshvili aims to let people discover the old wooden mosques of the Adjara province and raise awareness about their preservation. Interview with Suzanne Harris-Brandts mashallahnews.com/caring for georgias old wooden mosques

PHOTOGRAPHY: Very cool photo series presented on Tamara Natenadze Photo Blog. By Timothy M. Bowser

This is an interesting look but one that I cannot say I've shared in. I've spent over three years living among Adjarians and spending much time in the highlands and villages of Xulo. There is a dark dignity to the photos presented here, and the people do have this dignity but I do not feel that there is the darkness illustrated here. I do not imply darkness as a mood or feeling, only the lens through which the photographer chose to portray her subjects. I have always found the highlanders to be amazingly open and joyous. I've spent a few Shuamtoba festivals at Beshumi and Goderdzi. They are riots of color, wrestling, horse racing, dance, and song. Marriages are conducted before the community and drunken fights are pretty common. The days leading up to the festivals were filled with merriment and obscene amounts of drinking. I've partook. Remember these are Muslim populations. The idea/s that we know anything about the Muslim world in Adjara is correct in the photographer/author's opening assessment. We do not know much about it. What we think we know about the populations of Adjara are most likely mistaken and wrought with unwarranted prejudices. One thing mentioned in the article and I find a truism is that the households would fall apart without the women managing them and they are present at the supras but are only periphery participants. Very cool photo series presented on Tako's blog. I found the smaller village Shuamtoba festival very interesting.


Timothy M. Bowser (e-portfolio)


Tim Bowser's Blog: beyondbatumi.com
beyondbatumi@gmail.com
facebook.com/beyondbatumi
Twitter @beyondbatumi

Tamara Natenadze Photo Blog: takonatenadzeajara.blogspot.de

VORLESUNGSREIHE: GESCHICHTE UND KULTUR EINES TRANSKULTURELLEN RAUMS: DIE „SEIDENSTRASSE“

Wissenschaftliche Leitung: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bert FRAGNER

Studium der orientalistischen Fächer Islamwissenschaft, Turkologie, Arabistik und Iranistik sowie Völkerkunde und Slawistik an der Universität Wien. Habilitation an der Universität Freiburg i.Br./D im Fach Islamwissenschaft, Professuren an den deutschen Universitäten Freiburg, Berlin und zuletzt am Lehrstuhl für Iranistik in Bamberg. Prof. Dr. Bert G. Fragner leitete vom April 2003 bis zu seiner Pensionierung 2010 als Direktor das Institut für Iranistik der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Präsident der ÖOG

ÖSTERREICHISCHE ORIENT-GESELLSCHAFT

7. Mai, 14. Mai, 28. Mai, 4. Juni, 11. Juni 2013

jeweils Dienstag, 18.00-19.30 Uhr, Klubsaal der ÖOG

Teilnahmegebühr für 5 Abende: € 12,- für Mitglieder gratis

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7. Mai: Das Innere des eurasischen Kontinents: die Topographische Gestaltung eines multikulturellenRaums; tribale und nomadische Lebensformen im Inneren Asiens; Verschiebung der Perspektive: aus der Sicht der innerasiatischen Steppen- und Gebirgslandschaften sind die "hohen" Zivilisationen (China, Indien, antikes Vorderasien, Griechenland und Ost-Mitteleuropa) allesamt randständig

14. Mai: Antike, spätantike und frühmittelalterliche Zivilisationen zwischen dem Mittelmeer, dem Indischen Ozean und der pazifischen Küste in überregionalem Kontakt; iranische und türkische Völker im Inneren Asiens

28. Mai: Islam, Christentum und Buddhismus im mittelalterlichen Innerasien – das erste weiträumige "Globalisierungsphänomen" in der Geschichte: das "Mongolische Weltreich" und seine Folgereiche

4. Juni: Die Entwicklung der "Seidenstraße" in der frühen Neuzeit; der Bruch in der Geschichte: Kolonialmächte in Asien; die beginnende Rivalität zwischen Russland und Großbritannien in Asien im 18./19. Jahrhundert

11. Juni: Das "Great Game" und der Zusammenbruch der Seidenstraße; die Sowjetunion in Asien; der Aufstieg der kommunistischen Vorherrschaft in China und ihre Konsequenzen in Zentralasien; die Gegenwart: postsowjetische unabhängige Republiken in Asien

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Herzliche Grüße, Ihre Silvia de Carvalho

Mag.a Silvia de Carvalho
Leiterin des Informationszentrums für Zentralasien und Südkaukasien
Österreichische Orient-Gesellschaft Hammer-Purgstall
Orient-Akademie
A-1010 Wien
Dominikanerbastei 6/6
www.orient-gesellschaft.at


 

IN MOTION: Free Nowrooz. Photos by Thomas Dworzak (magnumphotos.com)

(inmotion.magnumphotos.com) Because of strict Islamic laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, more liberal minded Iranians need to travel abroad to celebrate Nowrooz in freedom. Thomas Dworzak takes a look at the Nowrooz celebrations in Georgia.

Play Essay >>> 
 

Thomas Dworzak's portfolio

FEATURE: Islamization of Russia. Photographs and Text by Oxana Onipko (reportagebygettyimages.com)

 

Download pdf >>>

(reportagebygettyimages.com) Russia has always bordered Europe and the Orient. Russian-led Soviet imperialism found a way to make it work. Institutionalized atheism, personality cults, the homogeneity of the working class and other forms of entrenched propaganda unified peoples of diverse ethnicities and cultures. Communism’s fall created an ideology vacuum, rekindling the latent passions of religion. Orthodox Christianity versus Islam is a new chapter in the nation’s ages old struggle of East vs. West.

In recent years, the East has gained dominance as pan-Slavism has splintered along geo-political lines. Coupled with this, the population of Russia is in decline. Meanwhile, millions of Muslims arrive from the violent Caucasus mountain region and the destitute former Soviet republics of Central Asia for cheap manual labor jobs.

The massive rise in numbers and the visible spread of Islam has sparked ethnic hatred in many. There is not enough room in Moscow's Mosques anymore so people are worshiping on the street. The World Bank estimates that 12.3 million migrants now live in Russia. Second only to the United States. “Russia for Russians!” is the new battle cry from the mouths of ultra-nationalists who see their motherland as a fortress under siege.

Violence from Islamic extremists is the principle fear among Russians. The 1990s saw continuous armed conflict throughout the Caucasus. Most notably two ferocious wars in Chechnya resulted in high casualties, long-term psychological scarring, and deep-rooted senses of mistrust, animosity and foreboding toward the entire region.

The recent March 2010 terrorist attack in Moscow by female suicide bombers from Dagestan, next to Chechnya, has crystallized many of these fears. More than 40 people were killed, and over 100 injured. The latest in a long string of violence “bleeding” from the Caucasus into Russia proper. Since the 1990s Russia has been continually struck by serious acts of terrorist violence; the Nord-Ost theatre hostage takeover and the Belsan school tragedy for example. The responsibility for these acts along with train and apartment blasts has been claimed by the self-styled mujahideen leaders of the “Caucasus Emirate” whose stated goal is to establish strict Sharia law in the region.

The movement has links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Foreigner fighters from the Middle East and Afghanistan have been documented fighting alongside locals. In particular, Afghanis who fought for years against the Soviet armed forces have played a significant role in the tactical training and preparation.

It is understandable why some Russians are concerned. But concern is no excuse for hate and fear-inspiring demagoguery.

Since 2009 I have been documenting Islam in Russia. I gained access to these people by spending hours at Moscow's central mosque and engaging them in long conversation. Eventually I learned about the various ethnic and cultural subgroups and made my way into people's homes and social units. The concept of "Islamization" became clear when I began to interact with a group of Russian converts to Islam from Orthodox Christianity. Their experiences and problems of fitting into society with a new religion and identity are indicative of a larger trend about Islam in Russia.

I have completed much work in Moscow and am now focusing my attention on the Caucasus region, Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia. The region is critical to my project.

Since the installation of Moscow-backed Ramzan Kadyrov as the head of the Chechen Republic, the situation has stabled considerably. Post-war reconstruction of the capital city Grozny included “Europe’s largest mosque”. Also a course of moderate Islam as religious education has been instigated in public elementary schools. While Kadyrov himself has called for all women to wear headscarves. But even with improvement, according to US human rights watchdog group Freedom House Chechnya is one of the most oppressive regimes in the world along with North Korea and Burma.

Considerably less stable than Chechnya are the territories of Dagestan and Ingushetia. Kadyrov has succeeded in pushing much of the separatist Islamic guerrilla activity into these neighboring lands.

Here Russian Federation forces continue to fight an increasingly horrific campaign against an insurgency increasing in size and tenacity. But, away from the headlines, the conflict is taking its toll on ordinary people and families.

Every month brings new disappearances and murders. Often, the family members claim their loved ones have no connection to the militants, and it almost always remains unknown what, if anything, they have done to deserve such harsh punishment. There is no rhyme or reason to the pseudo-judicial executions, as if a misplaced word here or there, is sufficient invitation for a visit by a shadowy squad of men.

There are 55 BW images in the full edit and are available upon request.

Web:  
onipko.photoshelter.com
lightstalkers.org/oxana_onipko

VORTRAG: "New Moslims in Dagestan" Von Iwona Kaliszewska

Am Montag (18.06.) wird Frau Iwona Kaliszewska am Institut für Kaukasiologie in Jena zu Gast sein. Die junge polnische Ethnologin wird über die Ergebnisse ihrer Feldforschung zur jüngsten Entwicklung des Islam in Daghestan berichten.


Iwona Kaliszewska arbeitet derzeit an ihrer Dissertation und unterrichtet am Istitut für Ethnologie und Kulturanthropologie an der Universität Warschau. Sie ist Vorsitzende der Stiftung 'Kaukaz.net', schreibt für das 'New Eastern Europe journal' und hat an dem Buch 'Matryoshka in Hijab. Essays on Dagestan and Chechnya' (2010) mitgewirkt.


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Mrs. Iwona Kaliszewska in Jena guest will be on Monday (18.06). The young Polish Ethnologist will report on the results of their fieldwork to the recent development of Islam in Daghestan.


Iwona Kaliszewska is currently working on her dissertation and teaches at the Istitut for Ethnology and cultural anthropology at the University of Warsaw. She is Chair of the 'Kaukaz.net', writes Foundation for the ' new Eastern Europe journal' and has the book ' matryoshka in hijab. Essays on Dagestan and Chechnya' (2010) had with.


More: 
“Stateless” Places in the North Caucasus? Localized Forms of Sovereignty in Dagestan (pdf)

ARTIKEL Israel kauft ein Flugfeld in Aserbaidschan. Von Raoul Kirschbichler (nachrichten-politik.at)

(nachrichten-politik.at) Israel kauft ein Flugfeld der alten Militärbasis Sitalcay in Aserbaidschan. Das berichtet das Magazin ´Foreign Policy´. Sitalcay ist nur 500 Kilometer von der iranischen Grenze entfernt. Israelische Luftangriffe auf iranische Atomanlagen sind nun viel leichter zu planen. Warum unterstützen die Moslems in Aserbaidschan die israelische Regierung?

“Juden gehören vernichtet oder des Landes verwiesen!” In Aserbaidschan, einem mehrheitlich moslimischen Land, sind solche Äußerungen sehr selten zu hören. Nur Mitglieder der verbotenen islamistischen Partei sind Judenhasser. Ansonsten gibt es in Aserbaidschan so gut wie keinen Antisemitismus. Die Regierung in Baku geht auch rigoros gegen Antisemiten vor. Die 20.000 Juden in Aserbaidschan fühlen sich nicht nur sicher, sondern auch akzeptiert und integriert. Deshalb gibt es auch gute diplomatische Beziehungen zwischen Aserbaidschan und Israel. Nur zwei Monate nach der Unabhängigkeitserklärung (1991) war Israel einer der ersten Staaten, der die junge Republik anerkannte.

Schon während seiner ersten Amtszeit als Ministerpräsident (1997) hat Benjamin Netanyahu die beiden Länder eng miteinander verbunden. Damals wurde ein Abkommen zur Modernisierung der aserbaidschanischen Streitkräfte unterzeichnet. Erst vor drei Monaten wurde ein Kaufvertrag in der Höhe von 1,6 Milliarden US-Dollar unterschrieben: Die Regierung in Baku hat von Israel im Jänner unter anderem Luft- und Raketenabwehrtechnik gekauft. Konkret bedeutet das: Mit israelischer Hilfe umgeht Aserbaidschan ein Waffenembargo der Organisation für Sicherheit und Zusammenarbeit in Europa (OSZE), das wegen des Konflikts mit Armenien um die Region Berg-Karabach verhängt wurde. 

Israel ist mittlerweile der drittwichtigste Wirtschaftspartner der kaukasischen Republik:

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- Bereits kurz nach der Öffnung seiner Märkte sicherte sich das israelische Telekommunikationsunternehmen Bezeq den größten Teil der Betriebsrechte für Aserbaidschan.

- Israel bezieht heute ein Viertel seines Ölbedarfs von Aserbaidschan. Auch Erdgas soll künftig vom Kaukasus in den Nahen Osten transportiert werden. Aserbaidschan bezieht aus Israel wiederum hoch entwickelte Geräte zur Förderung und Entwicklung von Erdgas und Erdöl. ( Modcon Systems Ltd. hat eine große Niederlassung in Aserbaidschan eröffnet.)

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Bislang hat Israel sein Erdöl in erster Line aus Russland bezogen. Doch je mehr das iranische Atomprogramm die internationale Politik bestimmt, desto deutlicher wird, dass Russlands den Iran weiter unterstützt. Israel muss davon ausgehen, dass Russland den Ölhahn zudreht, sobald die israelische Luftwaffe Angriffe auf iranische Atomanlagen fliegt. Zudem: Seitdem die Türkei Hilfsgüter per Schiff nach Gaza schicken wollte, sind die israelisch-türkischen Beziehungen eingefroren. Der Pipelinebau zwischen Ceyha, im Süden der Türkei, und Haifa somit auf Eis gelegt.

“Die Israelis haben ein Flugfeld in Aserbaidschan gekauft”, schreibt das US-Magazin “Foreign Policy” unter Berufung auf vier hochrangige US-Diplomaten und Geheimdienstmitarbeiter. Dabei handelt es sich um ein Flugfeld der alten Militärbasis Sitalcay. Das ehemalige Flugfeld der Roten Armee liegt 50 Kilometer nördlich der aserbaidschanischen Hauptstadt Baku, direkt am Kaspischen Meer. Und was noch wichtiger ist: Von Sitalcay sind es nur 500 Kilometer bis zur iranischen Grenze. Israelische Luftangriffe auf iranischen Atomanlagen sind nun bedeutend leichter zu planen: Israelische F15 – und F16 Kampfjets müssten nicht in der Luft aufgetankt werden, sie benötigten weniger Treibstoff und könnten demnach mehr Bomben mit sich führen.

Doch Aserbaidschans Verteidigungsminister Safar Abijew winkt ab und erklärt: “Die Republik Aserbaidschan wird niemals einem anderen Staat erlauben, seinen Boden oder seinen Luftraum für Angriffe gegen die Islamische Republik Iran zu nutzen, die wir als unseren Freund und Bruder betrachten.” Die USA sind skeptisch. Ein Beamter des US-Militärgeheimdienstes erklärt gegenüber dem Magazin “Foreign Policy”: “Der Verteidigungsminister hat weder die Landung israelischer Flugzeuge noch die Stationierung von Such- und Rettungseinheiten explizit ausgeschlossen.”

Gegenüber der aserbaidschanische Nachrichtenagentur Turan betont Verteidigungsminister Safar Abijew: “Nur eine gute militärische Zusammenarbeit mit dem Iran kann den Frieden in dieser Region garantieren.” Doch die politische Realität sieht anders aus:

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Zwischen Ende Januar und dem 20. Februar sind dem Inlandsgeheimdienst in Aserbaidschan 22 iranische Spione ins Netz gegangen. Sie sollen mehrere Anschläge geplant haben. Auf westliche Botschaften, auf israelische und amerikanische Staatsbürger in Aserbaidschan.

Auf Anweisung der iranischen Revolutionsgarden hätten die Festgenommenen konspirative Wohnungen angemietet. Die Spione, die wegen Staatsverrats und illegalem Waffenbesitz unter Anklage stünden, seien in Ausbildungslagern in der Nähe von Teheran und Karadsch auf ihre Aufgabe vorbereitet worden. Bei den Festgenommenen seien zahlreiche Maschinengewehre, Pistolen, Munition und verschiedene Sprengsätze sichergestellt worden.

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Natürlich vermutet man zunächst einmal, dass Israel versucht, das Verhältnis zwischen Baku und Teheran zu vergiften. In erster Linie, weil Israel Aserbaidschans Starterlaubnis für Luftangriffe gegen den Iran brauchen wird. Denn der Luftraum über der Militärbasis Sitalcay ist unverkäuflich. Ohne dabei wirklich zu wissen, was Israel der Regierung in Baku im Gegenzug anbietet oder anbieten würde. Diese Ungewissheit war auch der Motor für das Außenministertreffen am letzten Sonntag in der aserbaidschanischen Enklave Nachitschewan. Hier sind die Außenminister der Türkei, Aserbaidschans und des Iran zusammengekommen um sich gegenseitig zu versichern: “Wir werden es nicht zulassen, dass das eigene Territorium für einen Angriff auf ein Nachbarland genützt wird.”

Damit musste Israel schon vor dem Kauf des Flugfeldes rechnen. So gesehen ist der Ankauf des Flugfeldes von Sitalcay vorerst einmal nur Teil einer großen Strategie, die darauf ausgerichtet ist, sich in diesem Kalten Krieg im Nahen Osten noch bessere Karten zu sichern.

VIDEO: Tschetschenische Flüchtlinge in Georgien (arte.tv)

Einen Monat ist die sogenannte Babel-Kaukasus-Karawane nun unterwegs: Es ist eine Künstler-Truppe, die Europa und seine Randgebiete bereist. Orte, an denen endlose Konflikte und Intoleranz an der Tagesordnung sind. Nun hat die kaukasische Karawane ihre letzte Etappe erreicht.

Sie ist in Georgien angekommen, in einem entlegenen Tal, wo Generationen tschetschenischer Flüchtlinge Unterschlupf gefunden haben, die ihre Kultur nicht verlieren wollten. Eine Reportage von Mylène Sauloy, Antoine Cuche und Matthieu Quillet.

Erstausstrahlungstermin:
So, 26. Sep 2010, 12:45

NEWSLETTER: Best Wishes for the New Year from Harvard Program on Central Asia

By John Schoeberlein


Dear Ralph:
This is a year-end message from the Program on Central Asia and the Caucasus at Harvard University. I am writing with hopes that your New Year begins with the warmth of friends and brings you rich and satisfying times throughout the year.
Also, I want to make sure you are aware of resources of our Program that are of interest to those with a focus on Central Eurasia -- from the Crimea to Mongolia:

- In the next few months our Project on Islam in Eurasia will be publishing several policy papers dealing with issues related to the changing of Islam in former Soviet societies and their broader
implications for policy. If you wish to receive notification of the papers when they are published, or to have us mail them to you, please provide your information at the following site, where you can also learn more about the Project on Islam in Eurasia:
http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu/ie_maillist.html

- The resource of our program that draws the widest interest is our Central-Eurasia-L Announcement List for Central Eurasian Studies, with over 7,000 subscribers from all over the world and has served the Central Eurasian studies community since 1995. The list distributes
announcements about new publications, conference, jobs, fellowships and other events and resources of interest to those focused on this region. For more information or to subscribe, visit:
http://cesww.fas.harvard.edu/ces_cel.html

- For those interested in the same kind of information about events and opportunities exclusively at Harvard University and in the Boston area, you may subscribe to the Central-Asia-Harvard-List, which has over 5,000 subscribers:
http://centasia.fas.harvard.edu/hpce_internet.html

- The Central Eurasia Studies Society, which was based at the Program from 2000 through 2007, has a new host -- Miami University of Ohio. The next Annual Conference, which will be Sept. 15-18, 2011 at Ohio State University, is expected to an extraordinary gathering. The Call
for Papers will be available within the next couple of weeks (and you can sign up for CESS announcements) at:
https://www.cess.muohio.edu/

- If you are a member or friend of the Central Eurasian Studies Society, you might want to follow CESS activities and link with others with similar interests through the CESS Facebook group (accessible to Facebook members):
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sfrm=1#!/home.php?sk=group_172707566077693

- The Program on Central Asia and the Caucasus at Harvard will be hosting Central Eurasian scholars specializing on topics including Islam and national identity in Tajikistan, the mass violence in Kyrgyzstan in June 2010, popular Islam in Kyrgyzstan, population studies in Mongolia, sociology of intellectual elites in Kazakhstan, among other topics. If you would like to learn more about the visitors or make contact with them, see:
http://centasia.fas.harvard.edu/hpce_visitors.html

- Those interested in promoting better links between Central Eurasia scholarship and journalism are encouraged to become involved in the Central Eurasian Scholars and Media Initiative, which was launched this fall. For more information, contact Scholars.Media.Eurasia@gmail.com

- or visit our Facebook group at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sfrm=1#!/home.php?sk=group_106716699397270

Finally, an observation from me, as someone who has specialized in Central Eurasia for almost three decades: As we approach the end of the second decade since the break-up of the Soviet Union, the implications for the study of that region can be said to be mixed. For better or worse, the possibilities for study of the region in international scholarship have greatly increased, though some parts of the region have been difficult to access and some are becoming more
difficult. The collapse of communist governments had an immediate, devastating effect on scholars in the region, though this has been partially mitigated by stabilization in some countries and by greatly increased opportunities for international support. The one area that is uniformly bright is the emergence of a new generation of scholars both within the region and globally who have been able "to put the region on the map" in international scholarship. Scholars of other
parts of the world now have much more reason to pay attention to the analyses of our part of the world.

For me, it has been tremendously satisfying to see so many good young colleagues doing work that is vastly more solid than what characterized the field when I began. Central-Eurasia-L grew quickly to encompass the lion's share of those who focused on the region, but still had less than 1,000 subscribers in 1997, whereas as now it has over 7,000. We've seen the emergence of the Central Eurasian Studies Society in 2000, and the annual conference a great critical mass of Central Eurasia scholars, as do ESCAS, ASN and some other some others, making for a tremendous community of scholars.

I wish you the very best for the New Year!
John Schoeberlein

__________________________________________________

Dr. John Schoeberlein \ Director
Program on Central Asia and the Caucasus
Davis Center \ Harvard University
1730 Cambridge St., Room S-320 \ Cambridge, MA 02138 \ USA
tel.: +1/617-495-4338 asst.: +1/617-496-2643 fax: +1/617-495-8319
schoeber@fas.harvard.edu
http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~schoeber/
http://harvard.academia.edu/JohnSchoeberlein
http://www.facebook.com/schoeberlein

Central Asia Program website: http://centasia.fas.harvard.edu
Project on Islam in Eurasia: http://islam-eurasia.fas.harvard.edu
Central-Eurasia-L: http://cesww.fas.harvard.edu/ces_cel.html

NEW BOOK: Cultural Archetypes and Political Change in the Caucasus. By Sergey Arutiunov (Author) & Nino Tsitsishvili (amazon.com)

Hardcover
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers (November 30, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1607417391
ISBN-13: 978-1607417392

For the people of the Caucasus history and ancestral heritage signals something that must be taken into account and set as an example for present actions. Today the Caucasus is a region where ancient pre-Christian and pre-Islamic rites of sun-worship, fertility, animal sacrifice, traditional moral views and cultural nationalism co-exist with international programs of human rights and equity, democratic political and governance structures, international jazz festivals and youth culture. The book interrogates the Caucasus through the prism of two interrelated categories of discourse, namely 'cultural archetypes' and 'political change'. Cultural archetypes reflect the persisting significance of historical memory and association with the past in customs, rituals, religion, inherited social values, everyday activities and artistic expressions. Political change is about globalisation, transnationalism and the turbulent political transition from closed, isolated and economically disadvantaged nations to open, pluralistic and democratic societies with more economic potential based on market economies that the Caucasian nations are currently experiencing. The book searches for crossroads between the two - how political changes can be based on existing cultural values and how cultures can serve as political discourse. Since recent political changes and future of the Caucasus are related to the establishment and possibility of building Western-style liberal democracy, many scholars and politicians contemplate whether it is feasible to build Western-style democracy while simultaneously preserving local social values. Will these nations go through the same way to democracy as did the West, or will they hold on to their unique physiognomy? Can traditional expressive cultures in the Caucasus preserve unique identity while political and social values will keep changing? The book does not provide a decisive answer, but by interrogating such persisting dichotomies as 'progressive' and 'static', 'pragmatic' and 'non-pragmatic', 'individualistic' and 'collectivist' societies, it certainly furthers our understanding of the relationship between the political and cultural realms of the Caucasus nations in comparison with those of the West.

AmazonShop: Books, Maps, Videos, Music & Gifts About The Caucasus

NEWS: RFE/RL Caucasus Report - 12/4/2009 (rferl.org)

A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the countries of the South Caucasus and Russia's North Caucasus region.

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Who Will Be Daghestan's Next President? The political situation in Daghestan is arguably both more complex, and more difficult to comprehend, than that in any other federation subject. That complexity derives less from the ongoing battle against the Islamic resistance than from the constant jockeying for power and influence among and within the largest of the republic's 14 titular nationalities. More

Circassian Youth Groups Under Pressure In Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachayevo-Cherkessia In recent weeks, unofficial youth groups that claim to defend Circassian national interests have incurred the wrath of the republican authorities in both Kabardino-Balkaria, and in neighboring Karachayevo-Cherkessia. A confrontation may be imminent in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, where the municipal authorities have asked Circassians to postpone a rally. More

Relatives Worried About Jailed Azerbaijani Journalist's Health Relatives of a jailed Azerbaijani journalist say they are worried about his deteriorating health, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports. More

Insurgent Killed In Daghestan Carried Kyrgyz Passport Russian officials say an insurgent killed by security forces in the Russian republic of Daghestan was carrying a Kyrgyz passport, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More

Armenian Generals Urge Activist's Release Two retired Armenian army generals have urged President Serzh Sarkisian to pardon an Armenian opposition leader arrested and imprisoned after last year's postelection unrest in Yerevan, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. More

Azerbaijan Insists On 'Self-Rule' For Karabakh Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov says Baku insists on restoring control over Nagorno-Karabakh despite accepting the right to self-determination as a core principle for resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute over the territory, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. More

South Ossetia Jails Two Georgian Teens; Two Freed Two Georgian teenagers were jailed in breakaway South Ossetia today and two were freed after days of European mediation secured the release of a group of South Ossetians held in Georgia. More

Chechen Activist's Killing 'Not Connected To Her Work' Prosecutors in Chechnya say the killing of a prominent human rights activist in August was not connected to her work, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More

Islamists Claim Responsibility For Russian Bombing An Internet site linked to Chechen separatist fighters said today that it has received a letter from Islamist militants who claim responsibility for the bombing of a Russian express train last week that killed 26 people. More

Russian Delegation Members Refused Entry Into Georgia Georgian authorities have refused to allow some Russian scholars to enter Georgia, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More

Murder Highlights Missionary Role In Russian Church Nobody knows for sure who murdered Moscow priest Daniil Sysoyev, who died on November 19 after being shot by an unidentified assailant in his own church. But his death, which some have blamed on Islamic extremists, has cast light on how the Russian Orthodox Church has increasingly turned to proselytism work in recent years, and highlighted tensions between the church and Islam. More

Armenian Leader's Lofty Words Fall On Deaf Ears Even as Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian gave a speech decrying the stifling of internal dissent within parties for the harm it does to the political ciulture of a country, his own party members rushed to unanimously reelect him as leader -- some even couldn't wait for his nomination. More

Campaigning Begins For Azerbaijan's Municipal Elections Campaigning for municipal elections in Azerbaijan has officially begun, with 18 parties and some 31,000 candidates registered to compete, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports. More

Contested Grazing Grounds Kabardian public organizations are serious in their plans to campaign for the annulment of the draft law adopted by the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic (KBR) parliament in the first reading on October 30, which transfers some 200,000 hectares of mountain grazing grounds to 16 Balkar-populated villages. Loss of access to those pastures was one of the issues that drove the Balkars to plan a march on Moscow last month. More

Was Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mother Azeri? A few years ago Leonardo Da Vinci researchers presented a theory claiming that the Renaissance artist’s mother, Caterina, had not actually been a local peasant as had previously been believed. More

Solidarity, Oil, Human Rights, And Azerbaijan Azerbaijan has the highest number of imprisoned journalists among all of the 56 member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Thirty-four members of the nongovernmental organization Human Rights House Network, based in Oslo, sent a letter of concern to the authorities in Baku, condemning the deterioration of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. RFE/RL correspondent Anna Zamejc spoke with Ane Tusvik Bonde, regional manager for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus at the Human Rights House Foundation about the situation in Azerbaijan. More