Authors

Discussion

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of decolonising academia in general, and the curriculum more specifically. A core premise of conversations is that diversifying voices can contribute new perspectives and ideas to the subjects we study. Such recognition notwithstanding, disciplines tend to reproduce themselves through reference to a core body of knowledge and accepted methodological practices; academics from one academic tradition often find it hard to access another arena where different standards of excellence dominate; and there is a dilemma of how diversification can be achieved without detriment to academic standards. All of these issues are particularly pronounced in scholarship on the Caucasus, not least because Eurasian scholarship typically places greater emphasis on empirics to the neglect of theory, whereas Anglo-American scholarship elevates theory at the expense of empirics. Our talk will introduce a collaborative project that seeks to identify the obstacles Caucasian scholars face in publishing in English; the strategies they develop to overcome them; experiences of partnership between Western and Eurasian academics; and how gatekeepers to the Anglo-American academic seek to facilitate access. The aim is to identify best practice in diversifying academic conversations that can contribute to decolonising the study of the Caucasus.