Roundtable within the frame of the Long Night of Science 2019

The OEI Roundtable Conflict & Development in the Caucasus discusses the cultural, economic and political dimensions of the Caucasus as a meeting point of the Russian, Ottoman and Persian Empires, explores the role of conflict in its socio-economic development and analyzes its cultural dynamics as a post-imperial space. More specifically, we are interested in discussing the following aspects: 1. The set of EU policies toward conflict resolution in the region in the light of EU-Russian relations and NATO involvement in the Black Sea, 2. The persistence dynamics and long-run effects of imperial cosmopolitanism and Soviet diversity in contemporary spaces of conflict such as Sokhumi and Stepanakert, historical metropolitan areas such as Trabzon and Batumi, and modern capitals such as Tbilisi, Yerevan and Baku, 3. The role of international civil society and local citizen initiatives in dealing with the imminent consequences of conflict and displacement. Hence, we are interested in a rich and dynamic panel discussion that will underscore the dimensionality of Caucasus conflicts with respect to minorities, grand strategies of major world powers and international development. We hope to offer incentives for further involvement in the study of the Caucasus and its conflict challenges. Leading experts from academia, government and civil society reflect on the past, present and future of the Caucasus, whose centrality has been indisputable in European culture, economy and society. Jun.-Prof. Dr. Theocharis Grigoriadis, head of the OEI research group Economics of Eastern Europe, will moderate the panel.