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- Convenors:
-
Julie McBrien
(University of Amsterdam)
Tsypylma Darieva (ZOiS, Centre for East European and international Studies, Berlin Humboldt University Berlin)
Ketevan Khutsishvili (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University)
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- Theme:
- ANT
- Location:
- Sigur Center Conference Room 503
- Sessions:
- Friday 11 October, -
Time zone: America/New_York
Long Abstract:
The high level of urbanization in Central Eurasia is followed by the rapid changes in all spheres of life. In this inconsistent process religious representations are appearing as an alternative system of values and politics playing an important role in formation of new identities and distinctions. The forms of religiosity practiced during the Soviet period became limited in the post-Soviet era and the processes of reshaping them were set off spontaneously. The two vectors of developments have been emerged: "from below" and "from above". The panel aims to discuss the forms of religiosity practiced in contemporary urban context to reveal the aspects impacting their changes; to display different aspects of religiosity within the frame of theories of individualization, secularization/desecularisation and modernization. The panel papers are discussing the different forms of the post-socialist developments, pluralization and fluidity of religiosity displayed in the urban areas. They are arguing the construction of sacred based on fresh ethnographies of particular places and qualitative data. The panel discusses how do societies within the certain traditions establish and maintain the religious meanings they generated and connected to places, or how they epitomized and made sacred the spaces by means of mythic-ritual system. We seek to define different patterns of religious pluralization in the modern Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, the conditions that generate the contestation and sociability of new places of worship in urban spaces, the impact of infrastructure and modern technologies on social relations, and the tactics used to appropriate secular urban spaces for new spiritualities in the post-socialist Eurasia.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Friday 11 October, 2019, -Paper long abstract:
The construction of sacred, labeling some objects or spaces as sacred is highly depended on the particular context. The contextual meanings are causing the transformation of space (landscape) into place (Setha Low). On the other hand the places (sacred sites) are providing the meanings. The sacred sites - meaningful landscapes are materially displaying the social perceptions of the society. The tradition of their construction had diverse ideological foundation in accordance of time and region. The instrumental and functional aspects are also differing. But it is usual to use the symbols to order the space in each context, with its own meanings. The symbolic elements within the cultural and at the same time geographical space support the inner group relations. Another important aspect is the connection of the sacred sites to the cultural memories. The sacred sites as the figures of memories (Yan Asmann) are becoming the part of cultural memory and are associated with the sense of identity and belonging. On the example of Georgian cities Tbilisi and Batumi I'll discuss the social meanings of the symbolical construction and reconstruction of the landscapes. Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia and Batumi is the center of Ajara region, both cities are heterogeneous in various terms. The specific contexts formed the diverse societies with multiethnic and multi-religious composition. The main question will be: how do societies within the certain tradition establish and maintain the sacred meanings they generated and connected to places, or how they epitomized and made sacred the spaces by means of mythic-ritual system.
Paper long abstract:
Socialist Rustavi was designed as an exemplary city of workers with no place for sacral sites and religion. The communists found a meaningful place for the city built in an empty space, in the history of Georgia. The Soviet urban narratives made Rustavi the center of the Georgian medieval historical events and turned it into the source of the Georgian Soviet nationalism. The connection of XII century poet Shota Rustaveli with Rustavi became a guarantee of its national significance. At the same time, international population of Rustavi provided a heavy industrial and socialist profile of the city. The national and international images of the city, as suggested by the Communists, became the basis and opportunity for Rustavians to think about building or restoring the church in the city until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
This paper will discuss the construction of the first church in the city of Rustavi in the late socialist period; how the decision of the Christian Orthodox church to be built in Rustavi has emerged; why the interest in the construction of Orthodox temples in the post-Soviet period Rustavi is growing; the interrelationship between the churches already constructed and ones currently under construction. I'll try to find out why the international nature of the city was not reflected in its religious pluralism, e.g. the Catholic Christians are not getting the opportunity to build the temple in Rustavi. I am questioning the discourses regarding religious pluralism, which religious groups have managed to be establish in the urban space of Rustavi and in what way?
In the final part of the paper it is summarized the general meaning of religion in the modern Rustavi urban area and the interrelationships observed in the religious landscape of the city with the national and international past and modernity.
Paper long abstract:
Since a couple of years, Chinese Investors and traders have come to the Caucasus for commercial reasons.
In 2017 Georgia celebrated "the Georgia-China Friendship Day and 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries". The Georgian Prime Minister gave a public speech, in which he acknowledged that China is one of the largest trade partners and investors in Georgia and that "traditionally, Georgia and China have a friendly relationship based on the principles of equality, respect and cooperation". The largest Chinese foreign investor is the so-called Hualing Group, which invested more than 500 million USD since 2007 and purchased controlling shares in Georgia's Basis Bank in 2012. Interestingly, the Chinese company's home base is Urumqi. The Chinese leadership of Hualing Group and their representatives are Muslim Hui Chinese or Uighurs. According to Georgian employees of Hualing Group, who perceive themselves as Georgian Orthodox Christians, cooperation between Muslim Chinese and Georgians works very well. According to interviewees the reason is that "there is something as a cultural common ground". Thus this presentation will talk about the role of religion and other "cultural factors" in the context of interethnic exchange and business between Muslim Chinese and Orthodox Georgians in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.