9 / 2013 STATEHOOD, RELIGION AND STRATEGIC EUROPEANIZATION IN THE SOUTHERN CAUCASUS Guest Editors: Michael Dobbins and Mariam Parsadanishvili (Konstanz) Signpost near the Gremi Church outside Telavi, Georgia. In a figurative sense, the signpost depicts the new and diverse menu of strategic cultural, political and economic orientations of the southern Caucasian countries (photograph by Mariam Parsadanishvili) Online Journal of the Center for Governance and Culture in Europe University of St. Gallen www.gce.unisg.ch, www.euxeinos.ch Managing Editor Maria Tagangaeva Center for Governance and Last Update March 13, 2013 LANDIS & GYR Culture in Europe STIFtuNG University of St.Gallen Contents Editorial 3 Islamists in Azerbaijan: How Dangerous are they? by Rasim Mirzayev, EuroKaukAsia, Bonn-Berlin 6 Post-Rose Revolution Georgia: How Democratization Went Wrong - and Why Authoritarianism also May have Backfired by Michael Dobbins, University of Konstanz 15 “The Armenians were the first to Adopt Christianity as the State Religion” The Understanding of Statehood and Collective Symbolism in Armenia by Anush Yeghiazaryan, University of Konstanz 22 The Development and Establishment of Political Identity in the Republic of Azerbaijan by Yusuf Özcelik, EuroKaukAsia, Bonn-Berlin 27 Euxeinos 9 (2013) 2 Statehood, Religion and Strategic Europeanization in the Southern Caucasus he Southern Caucasus is a region replete more recent processes of Europeanization and Twith seemingly insurmountable chal- “westernization”. Despite their highly fragile lenges. The three small nations that form this traditions of statehood, these three countries mountainous region are not only confronted are characterized by a very strong sense of with the enormous burdens which other for- collective identity, bolstered by century-old mer communist countries face such as eco- religious and cultural traditions. In the past nomic stabilization, democratization, and the two decades, Armenia, Georgia, and Azer- Editorial (re-)establishment of civil society, to name just baijan have also taken far-reaching efforts to a few. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are stress their sense of belonging with the West also plagued by additional daunting obstacles in political, religious and cultural terms. Thus, specific to their geographical position. These the Caucasus is torn between continuity and include, most prominently, the multiple un- change in nearly every conceivable aspect of solved armed conflicts within their borders, life and therefore stands out as a particularly the often unwarranted Russian and Iranian fascinating, yet still poorly understood region. influence, and their immediate proximity to With this in mind, the authors seek to con- northern Caucasian separatist conflicts. Both vey a greater understanding of the histories in the present and past, the region has been a and contemporary domestic developments of political football of the grand powers seeking the three Caucasian countries. The essays by to strengthen their foothold over the geopoliti- Rasim Mirzayev and Michael Dobbins focus cally as a bridge between Europe, Asia and the on recent events in Azerbaijan and Georgia Muslim world. In view of the lacking immedi- and in particular external influences on the ate prospect of EU membership as a stabilizing development of statehood. In his article, Ra- reform catalyst, the Southern Caucasian coun- sim Mirzayev explores the complex interplay tries are – to a large extent – forced to cope between Islamization and Europeanization in with the manifold ethnic, religious, linguistic Azerbaijan. He observes a growing potential tensions on their own. The future of the region for the radical Islamization of the country – thus remains highly uncertain and domestic despite the generally highly secular attitude stability is further endangered by the dire eco- of the overwhelming majority of Azerbaijanis. nomic situation and widespread poverty. The author explains this paradox on the ba- Contrary to many previous western anal- sis of both historical developments as well as yses, which have focused primarily on major more recent developments after the collapse international events affecting the Caucasus – of the Soviet Union. He argues that the lack the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, the conflict in of political leeway for democratic and pro- Nagorny-Karabach, the Abkhaz conflict – this western parties and the simultaneous western issue of Euxeinos aims to delve deeper into the support to the ambitions of the Aliyev govern- fabric of the Armenian, Georgian and Azer- ment have resulted in widespread social dis- baijani societies. Specifically, the authors and content and thus provided a “window of op- editors aim to convey a deeper appreciation of portunity” for Islamic extremism. Thus, closer the ongoing and by no means complete pro- ties with the West due to energy resources cesses of state-building and identity construc- may have actually increased the potential of tion against the background of their diverse Islamic radicalism in Azerbaijan. ethnic and religious heritage, but also the Euxeinos 9 (2013) 3 Michael Dobbins also looks at very re- en the readers’ depth of understanding of this cent political events in Georgia. In his essay he uniquely complex region. outlines how the redesign of Georgian politi- cal institutions after the Rose Revolution was Mariam Parsadanishvili (Konstanz) largely driven by the power-seeking strategies Michael Dobbins (Konstanz) of the new elite, who transferred “pseudo-Eu- ropean” political institutions to the country. About the editors: This ultimately strengthened authoritarianism behind a democratic façade. However, he ar- Mariam Parsadanishvili, born in Telavi, gues that this strategy has recently backfired Georgia, studied Slavic and Germanic lit- and – in view of the new power-sharing ar- erature and History in Telavi, Konstanz and rangement between Mikheil Saakashvili and Warsaw. She is currently completing her doc- Bidzina Ivanishvili – may have “accidentally” toral thesis on the topic “Georgia and Russia: contributed to the democratization of Georgia Processes of disintegration since 1970”. The if both men and their political allies prove ca- thesis is part of her research project funded pable of working together. by the Cluster of Excellence “Cultural Foun- In her essay, Anush Yeghiazaryan explores dations of Integration” at the University the meaning of statehood for Armenia and of Konstanz. She also works as a freelance sheds light on the cultural foundations, which translator and trainer for intercultural com- shape the collective symbolism of the Arme- munication. She is the author of the book nians. She stresses, in particular, the adoption “Pasternak und die georgische Dichtung: ro- of Christianity as the state religion in the 4th mantische Tradition und die Dekolonisierung century as well as the development of the Ar- der Poesie im 20. Jahrhundert” (Pasternak menian alphabet and the Armenian territory and Georgian Poetry: The Romantic Tradition itself as the central cornerstones of Armenian and the Decolonization of Poetry in the 20th identity. In this regard, Armenia is very much century), Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag, 2008. like Georgia, in which the troika – fatherland, Additional publications: 2010. Georgiens kon- language, faith – is crucial for identity forma- fliktreiche Abkopplung von Russland: Hege- tion. Along similar lines, Yusuf Özcelik also moniale Ansprüche Moskaus und Verirrun- delves deep into the past to outline the devel- gen des georgischen Nationalismus. In: Vogt opment of the political identity of the Republic M. T. et al. ed., 2010. Der Fremde als Bereicher- of Azerbaijan, by examining the evolution of ung. Schriften des Collegium PONTES. Band the written language, the varying names of the V. Bern, Berlin etc.: Peter Lang, pp. 323-332. country as well as the country’s flag. Against e-mail: mariam.parsadanishvili@googlemail. this background, he provides critical insights com into the unsteady history of the Azerbaijanis within and outside the spheres of influence of Michael Dobbins is a graduate of political various external powers. Both authors show science and Slavic studies at the University of that Azerbaijan and Armenia have undergone Konstanz and also studied at the Universities long-winding and difficult processes of nation of Warsaw and Rutgers. He completed his doc- and identity building, which are still ongoing. toral degree with a thesis entitled “Comparing We hope very much that the essays broad- Higher Education Policies in Central and East- Euxeinos 9 (2013) 4 ern Europe” in Konstanz. During his doctoral eastern Europe, as well as the domestic and studies and afterwards he worked as a research foreign policies of Caucasian region countries. fellow at the Chair for Comparative Public Pol- Recent publications: Dobbins, M., Tosun, J. icy and Administration (Prof. C. Knill) at the 2012. A differential approach to energy policy? University of Konstanz and at the Collabora- Explaining the prevalence of market-based en- tive Research Center “Transformations of the ergy policy instruments in Central and Eastern State 597” within the project “Internationaliza- Europe. In: Morata, F., Solorio I. eds., 2012. tion of Education Policy” at the University of European energy policy: an environmental ap- Bremen. In January 2012 he joined the Chair of proach. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishers; Political Science, Policy Analysis and Political Dobbins, M., 2011. Higher Education Policies in Theory (Prof. M. Busemeyer)