Paper short abstract:

The article investigates what role conspiracy theories and doubts play in forming and practicing citizenship among Kists, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in Georgia. The paper interrogates whether conspiracies can turn into a tool for deciphering the inner workings of politics and society.

Paper long abstract:

As the global aftermath of the War on Terror began to unfold following the 9/11 attacks, the peripheral region of Georgia – Pankisi Gorge and its Kist inhabitants suddenly found themselves at the center of myriad conspiracy theories that represented Pankisi as a haven for terrorist organizations. Motivated by Russia's war in Chechnya at the time and Russia's dominant perceptions of Chechens, Kists were also viewed as ‘radical,’ ‘uncivilized,’ and ‘dangerous’ since they are a predominantly Muslim minority that belong to the same ethnicity as Chechens, Ingush and Bats/Batsbi. In the past two decades, these understandings have largely shaped the Georgian and international policies towards them.

While Pankisi and its inhabitants are often subjected to suspicions in the Georgian and international arena, the afterlives of these perceptions have rarely been examined. Moreover, conspiracy theories or mistrust of Kists towards political processes or systems have been left unexplored. The article investigates what role mistrust, conspiracy theories and doubts play in forming and practicing citizenship among Kists. In Pankisi, political decisions are frequently met with suspicions, alternative explanations of events are often employed, and everyday events are regularly thought to be shaped by larger political powers beyond the local influence. These insights expose how Pankisi residents view themselves within the political order. The paper complicates the dominant convictions about conspiracy theories and questions the tendency to dismiss them completely. It interrogates whether conspiracy theories can turn into a tool for deciphering the inner workings of politics and society.