Launch of the project

SNF Research Project 2018 – 2022 (University of Bern)

Remembering the Past in the Conflicts of the Present: Civil Society and Contested Histories in the Post-Soviet Space (1991 – 2017)

Launch of the project

Tbilisi, 20 – 22 June 2019

Workshop venue: Bertha Suttne Library, Ilia State University, Kakutsa Cholokashvili ave. 3/5, Bldg. S, Tbilisi

The first workshop in the framework of the research project “Remembering the Past in the Conflicts of the Present” aims to take stock of conceptual debates related to history policy, peacebuilding and civil society, with a focus on the conflicts in Georgia, the North Caucasus and Ukraine. It brings together members of the enlarged research team and external experts from the fields of peacebuilding, civil society and history/memory.

The working language of the workshop is English.

DAY 1

PROGRAMME

Thursday, 20 June 2019: Mapping theoretical approaches

The first day of the workshop will be dedicated to an overview of the state of research in the core focus areas of the project. These are: the nature of conflicts in the post-Soviet space; the connection between history/memory and conflict; the role of history/memory in peacebuilding and conflict transformation; the nature and role of civil society (in peacebuilding, history and memory mobilisation).

9.30-10.30

WELCOME FROM WORKSHOP ORGANIZERS AND INTRODUCTIONS

Oliver REISNER, Ilia State University, Tbilisi/Georgia

Carmen SCHEIDE, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

10.30-13.00

FIRST SESSION: UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICTS IN THE POST-SOVIET SPACE: HISTORY, MEMORY AND CIVIL SOCIETY 

• the nature of conflicts in the post-Soviet space
• history and memory (mnemonic communities; mnemonic actors and mnemonic regimes); mobilisation and radicalisation of mnemonic actors and communities in the lead-up to and during conflicts
• contested memories and historical narratives; their impact on different visions of conflict
• defining civil society in the post-Soviet space; civil society and history and memory; the role of civil society in reproducing the existing dividing lines; “uncivil society”  

Moderator: Carmen SCHEIDE, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Historical memory and conflicts of the post-Soviet space: the case of Russia (in Russian with consecutive translation in English)

Evgeniy KRINKO, Academy of Sciences, Rostov/Russian Federation

Cultural representations, conflict and the discourse of martyrdom in Ukrainian memory culture

Uilleam BLACKER, University College, London/United Kingdom

Understanding civil society in the post-Soviet space and its role in history and memory conflicts: the case of Georgia

Oliver REISNER, Ilia State University, Tbilisi/Georgia

Discussion

13.00-14.00

Lunch break

14.00-17.30

SECOND SESSION: PEACEBUILDING, HISTORY, MEMORY AND CIVIL SOCIETY

• mapping the “tracks” of peacebuilding
• peacebuilding and history/memory: the place of memory and history in peacebuilding theory
• challenges to peacebuilding
• the role of civil society in relation to history and memory (bridging social capital):  history dialogue; multi-perspective history teaching, oral history, alternative TJ approaches, etc.

Moderator: Cécile DRUEY, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Overview of the conflicts and of peacebuilding approaches in the post-Soviet space and the role of civil society

Natalia MIRIMANOVA, independent researcher, Brussels/Belgium

Mapping the field: critical approaches to peacebuilding and transitional justice, memory and history in peacebuilding theory

Dženeta KARABEGOVIC, University of Salzburg, Salzburg/Austria

History, memory and peacebuilding: history dialogue and other entry-points for peacebuilding

Alexander KARN, Colgate University, New York/United States

Mapping the links: history, memory and peacebuilding

Stephanie KAPPLER, Durham University, United Kingdom (via skype)

15.30-16.00

Coffee break

16.00-17.30

Discussion

18.30-20.00

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Venue: Room G106, Tsereteli str. 1, Ilia State University

Mediating the Past: Historical Dialogue, Justice, and Reconciliation 

Alexander KARN, Colgate University, New York/United States

Moderator: Carmen SCHEIDE, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Followed by a reception

As of 20.30

Dinner for workshop participants

Tabla (Georgian cuisine), 33 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi

DAY 2

Friday, 21 June 2019: Historical memory, conflict and civil society: the cases of the North Caucasus, Ukraine and Georgia

The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to the cases of the North Caucasus, Ukraine and Georgia. The state of memory and history politics, connections between historical memory and conflict, entry points for peacebuilding and the role of civil society for each case study will all be investigated. Which are the contested history issues in the respective region? How are memory and history linked to conflict? What is the role of civil society?

9.30-10.00

SUMMARY OF THE FIRST DAY

10.00-12.00

FIRST SESSION: NORTH CAUCASUS

Moderator: Cécile DRUEY, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Historical memory and conflict: the case of Kabardino-Balkaria

Murat SHOGENOV, Nal’chik State University, Kabardino-Balkaria/Russian Federation

The role of civil society in conflicts and peacebuilding in Chechnya

 Inna AIRAPETYAN, Grozny/Russian Federation

Discussion

12.00-13.00

Lunch break

13.00-15.00

SECOND SESSION: UKRAINE

Moderator: Oksana MYSHLOVSKA, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Historical memory and conflict in Ukraine

Olesya KHROMEYCHUK, King’s College, London/United Kingdom

Peacebuilding and dialogue in Ukraine: the role of civil society

Natalia MIRIMANOVA, independent researcher, Brussels/Belgium

Discussion

15.00-15.30

Coffee break

15.30-17.30

THIRD SESSION: GEORGIA

Moderator: Elena NATENADZE, University of Bern, Bern/Switzerland

Historical memory and conflict in Georgia. The role of civil society

Giorgi ANCHABADZE, Tbilisi/Georgia

Confronting  Contested Narratives, Imagining Future Reconciliation: Historical memory and Georgian-Abkhazian conflict

 Malkhaz TORIA, Ilia State University, Tbilisi/Georgia

History dialogue and peacebuilding in Georgia

Andrea ZEMSKOV-ZÜGE, Berlin/Germany

Discussion

18.30-20.00

PANEL DISCUSSION

Venue: Book house „Ligamus“, Ilia State University,  Ilia Chavchavadze ave.  32, building A, Tbilisi

Memory, Peace and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space

Speakers: Carmen SCHEIDE, Uilleam BLACKER, and Natalia MIRIMANOVA

Moderator: Oliver REISNER, Ilia State University, Tbilisi/Georgia

20.00-21.00

Reception

Venue: Book house „Ligamus“, Ilia State University,  Ilia Chavchavadze ave.  32, building A, Tbilisi

As of 20.30

Dinner for workshop participants

Tabla (Georgian cuisine), 33 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi

DAY 3

Saturday, 22 June 2019: Peacebuilding in practice: the case of Georgia

10.00-12.00

“Voices from the ‘field’”: memory politics and peacebuilding in Georgia

History dialogue as a basis for normalization

 Shota SHVELIDZE and Rusiko MARSHANIA, Local coordinators, Berghof Foundation

The role of the past and memory in dialogue process of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict 

Marina ELBAKIDZE, Local coordinator, Conciliation Resources

Conflict with the past: How difficult is history rethinking process in Georgia?

Davit Jishkariani, Researcher, Soviet Past Research Laboratory (SovLab)

Afternoon

Excursion to the museum of WWII and the Stalin museum in Gori

19.30

Wine tasting and dinner for workshop participants

(surprise location)

Bern, 15.06.2019

Bern, 15.06.2019