Anthropology of Politics: the Caucasus and Central Asia 3600-ZIE-AEKAC-OG

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 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. Genocides and ethnic cleansings in Caucasus and Central Asia.
14. Contemporary political processes in the countries of Caucasus and Central Asia in the perspective of anthropology of politics.
15. Summary.

Type of course

elective courses
general courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

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.

Course coordinators

Konrad Zasztowt

Learning outcomes

.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.

Assessment criteria

The 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.

Bibliography

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.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3600-ZIE-AEKAC-OG in USOSweb