Politics and Society in the South Caucasus

2025/2026

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Elective course

When:

1 year, 2 module

Instructor

Yuzbekova, Karina

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course will focus on the recent history and politics of the South Caucasus. The region is also known through Russian sources as Transcaucasia and includes three UN member states (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) as well as three unrecognized or partially recognized states (Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), and South OssetiaThrough a series of lectures and seminars, the course delves into the political and societal dynamics of the South Caucasus, offering students a nuanced understanding of transformations in the region. Key themes include conceptualizations of the region, state building, Russian/Soviet legacies, ethnicity, nationhood, (ethnic) conflict, gender, family, religion, and governance. Additionally, it delves into democracy promotion, regional integration projects, and factors influencing integration formats. The course fosters knowledge acquisition on the nature of state, politics, and society in the South Caucasus, encouraging critical thinking on the drivers of political, economic, social, and cultural changes. As we journey through the recent history and politics of the region, we will consider its location with Russia, Turkey, and Iran. The course covers the impact of Ottoman (Turkish), Russian (including Soviet), and Iranian empires on the region. We will then zoom into the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring what happened after these empires, looking at state formation, conflicts, and how they influenced local elites, popular movements, and various aspects like religion, culture, and economics.