Academic Content

The aim of the summer school is to examine the Black Sea and the Caucasus region in its cultural, political, and economic dimensions. Centered on Georgia, where both the maritime and mountainous landscapes and cultures meet, but treating other countries of the region from a comparative viewpoint, the school will give a broad outline of the topic but offer in-depth studies on focal issues which throw light on recent conflicts and time-old cooperative patterns, intersections between culture and political processes, security environment and economic development.

To achieve this, the course on Black Sea and Caucasus: Diversity, Conflicts and Networks covers four distinctive but interrelated themes:

THEME 1: NATURE AND CULTURE

• Geography and ecology of the region
• Ancient and medieval times
• Early modern and modern period
• Post-soviet period

THEME 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE SECURITY DYNAMICS IN THE CAUCASUS AND THE BLACK SEA REGION

• Foreign and security policies of the regional countries
• Wars and conflicts in the Caucasus and the Black Sea region
• The Great Game in the Caucasus and the Black Sea Region

THEME 3: STATE, POLITICS AND SOCIETY IN BLACK SEA AND CAUCASUS REGION

• National identity and state 
• Democracy and autocracy
• Societal transformations and political change

THEME 4: ECONOMY OF BLACK AND CASPIAN SEA COUNTRIES

• Main economic indicators
• Sectoral development of countries 
• Critical infrastructure in the Black and Caspian Sea region
• Transport corridors of the region