Episode Details

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Guest: Julie George — Political scientist, Professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) and Columbia University.

01:04 Introducing the Guest. Why Georgia, what brought her to this country and what made it one of the central points of her studies.

03:15. How Georgia’s political identity was transformed in the past 30 years. Shevardnadze, Saakashvili, Ivanishvili, who made the biggest impact on how Georgians understand themselves, their state, sovereignty, and place in Europe?

09:22 Why does Georgian Dream’s fear-based messaging - around war, foreign agents, and cultural threats - resonate with some voters? Can it reshape public opinion, or is it simply a strategy to maintain power through fear?

19:03 How does conflict proximity shape political identity? Does living near the occupation lines foster inclusion or exclusion? And how has Russia’s continued pressure reshaped Georgian identity?

27:00 Is competitive authoritarianism in Georgia becoming full authoritarianism? Looking at the courts, parliament, civil society, media, and a weakened opposition, where does Georgia stand between flawed democracy and consolidated authoritarianism?

31: 30 Did the Rose Revolution create today’s system? Could elite defections still trigger change, or has power become too centralized under Ivanishvili?