Anthropology of Politics: the Caucasus and Central Asia

elective courses
general courses

Classes are intended for students of humanities such as ethnology or cultural studies, as well as all other university students. In addition to the basic ability to analyze texts in the field of humanities, participants do not need to have any special competences.

Classroom

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the issues of political anthropology of the Caucasus and Central Asia. The topics discussed will include basic political models and concepts in both regions, the relationship between the spheres of religion and politics, the analysis of concepts that define the perception of political field, the interaction of traditional culture with contemporary/European standards and political concepts such as human rights. The contemporary political processes in the South Caucasus will be also presented in the perspective of anthropology of politics.

1. Anthropology of politics in the context of related disciplines (cultural anthropology, political science, sociology). Description of the subject of studies.

2. Studies in anthropology of politics of Caucasus and Central Asia regions. Main research fields, approaches and new perspectives.

3. Colonial and post-colonial approaches in political geography of Caucasus and Central Asia.

4. Regional vs. state identities in Caucasus and Central Asia.

5. Ethnic/clan/tribal identities.

6. Chechen and Ingush teyps, Turkmen halks, Kazakh zhuzs. Modern tribalism.

7. National remembrance. Historical memory of the nations of Caucasus and Central Asia. The role of myths.

8. Religious factor in the identity construction of the South Caucasus’ peoples. Religious factor in the identity construction of the Central Asian peoples.

Islam and its’ impact on politics in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

9. The political domination of Russia in the South Caucasus and the reaction of the native peoples.

10. The political domination of Russia in the Central Asia and the reaction of the native peoples.

11. Ethnic and ethno-confessional conflicts in the South Caucasus region.

12. Corruption as an element of political systems in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Human rights and democracy issues in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

13. Contemporary Islamic movements in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Central Asia: an attempt of consensus between tradition and modern challenges.

14. Contemporary political processes in the countries of Caucasus and Central Asia in the perspective of anthropology of politics.

15. Summary.

J. Rohoziński, Święci biczownicy i czerwoni chanowie. Przemiany religijności muzułmańskiej w radzieckim i poradzieckim Azerbejdżanie, Wrocław 2005, P. Adamczewski, Górski Karabach w polityce niepodległego Azerbejdżanu, Wyd. Ak. Dialog, Warszawa 2012, W. Górecki, Abchazja, Wołowiec 2013, Kaukaz: transformacja przywództwa i elit politycznych, red. T. Bodio, Warszawa 2012, Kaukaz: mechanizmy legitymizacji i funkcjonowania elit politycznych, red. T. Bodio, Warszawa 2012, S. Zapaśnik, „Walczący islam” w Azji centralnej. Problem społecznej genezy zjawiska, Wrocław 2009, J. Danecki, Podstawowe informacje o islamie, Wyd. Ak. Dialog, Warszawa 2007, S. Voell, I. Kaliszewska, State and Legal Practice in the Caucasus, Ashgate, 2015, M. Falkowski, On the periphery of global jihad. The North Caucasus: the illusion of stabilisation, Point of View, OSW, Warsaw 2014, Georgia: Revolution and War, ed. R. Fawn, Routledge, 2013, G. Derluguian, The Tale of Two Resorts: Abkhazia and Ajaria Before and Since the Soviet Collapse, University of California at Berkeley, Center for German and European Studies, 1995, W. Górecki, Abkhazia’s ‘creeping’ incorporation. The end of the experiment of a separatist democracy, OSW, Warsaw 2015, T. De Waal, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, New York, 2003, E. A. Allworth, The Modern Uzbeks: From the Fourteenth Century to the Present: A Cultural History, Hoover Institution Press, Stanford 1990, M. Brill Olcott, In the Whirlwind of Jihad, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2012, J. Lang, The Radical Islamic Militants of Central Asia, OSW, Warsaw 2013.

.The course enable student to analyze various ethnic, national and political identity issues. The student learns basic concepts from the field of anthropology of politics in the context of the world of politics of Caucasus and Central Asia regions.

K_W02 has organized general knowledge (including terminology, theory and methodology) in the scope of cultural studies

K_W05 has detailed and organized knowledge of literature and writings of chosen regions in Asia; can name and characterize most important phenomena/trends/literary texts/writings of chosen regions in Asia

K_W10 can name and characterize basic cultural phenomena of a chosen region of Asia.

K_W16 demonstrates basic grasp of contemporary cultural life of a chosen region of Asia.

K_U02 can indicate sources of cultural differences between the countries of chosen regions of Asia

K_U03 can use the basic terminology from the domain of philosophy and religion of a chosen region in Asia

K_U04 can use the knowledge of history of chosen regions in Asia to analyze and interpret events taking place in the modern world.

Evaluation of student’s skills in anthropology of politics and knowledge of anthropological and political issues of the Caucasus and Central Asia regions.

Written exam.