Mariam Shalvashvili is a PhD student at Ilia State University, Social and Cultural Anthropology PhD Program. She is also a scholarship holder of Heinrich Boell Foundation - Tbilisi Office. Mariam completed her BA studies at Free University, School of Governance and Social Sciences and MA studies at Central European University, Sociology and Social Anthropology Program. While working on her MA thesis, Mariam studied gender and social aspects of death and mortuary practices in Samegrelo region. As for her BA thesis, she focused on Japanese poetry about death and mourning in original language. She has taught a variety of subjects/courses on BA and MA level. Currently she is a researcher-anthropologist at Social Justice Center working on political and economic inequality, solidarity practices and women's issues in densely populated minority regions.