Articles

Located in the south of Georgia, bordering Armenia and Türkiye, lies the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. This article analyses the challenges of youth (those aged 14-29) in and from the region, focusing on mental health, political participation, recreation, and emigration. In demographically and geopolitically complex surroundings, youth issues usually do not stand in the spotlight of public and political discourse. This results in a lack of awareness and support from decision makers, which in turn reinforces the struggles young people face in their daily lives, likely contributing to high youth emigration rates.

Heinrich Boell Foundation Yerevan Office – South Caucasus Region invites you to take part in the four-day Green Laboratory Armenia 2025, whether you are eager to deepen your understanding of the connections between biodiversity and political ecology, or critically engage with the pressing environmental and social challenges shaping Armenia’s future.

On April 29, the Heinrich Boell Foundation Yerevan Office – South Caucasus Region, the Turpanjian Institute of Social Sciences (AUA), and the Oral History Matters (OHM) initiative (AUA) hosted the official book launch of the Armenian translation of David Leupold's Embattled Dreamlands: The Politics of Contesting Armenian, Kurdish, and Turkish Memory in Akian Art Gallery at the American University of Armenia.

This article explores the relationship between identity, heritage, and place in the villages of Akhali Khulgumo and Tambovka near Paravani Lake. It highlights the social change these villages have experienced since 1991. It examines how the interplay between memory of the past and the changing dwelling practices of the Dukhobor houses in Tambovka is constitutive of broader socio-cultural transformations, positioning the two villages also within current (geo)political dynamics and new identity negotiations.

Cengiz Aktar critically analyses the enduring impact of the denial of the Armenian Genocide on Turkey's state formation, social ethics and political culture, arguing that unresolved memory perpetuates systemic decay.

While a tamada, the traditional master of ceremonies, is no novelty in the Georgian cultural context, taking the seat at the head table of the Energy Community’s Ministerial Council marks a first occasion in Georgia’s political and regulatory journey towards energy transition. But will this presidency move Georgia from participant to a true agenda-setter, or remain largely symbolic amid domestic challenges and current tensions with the EU? Can it become a genuine turning point after years of stalled reforms?

Small parties in Armenia face numerous challenges, including limited resources, a narrow economic base, unequal access to media, a personalist party tradition, and barriers to political inclusion. Despite these obstacles, they can still play a vital role in post-election coalitions and contribute to the development of democratic and inclusive governance.

Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has been a central element of the Georgian Dream’s anti-democratic turn towards the far right. How do anti-LGBTQ+ statements and policies help GD expand its grip on power, and why does this strategy work?