Authors

Tornike Zurabashvili¹; Helge Blakkisrud²;  ¹ Tbilisi State University, Georgia;  ² University of Oslo, ILOS, Norway

Discussion

How do the two South Caucasian breakaway republics Abkhazia and South Ossetia relate to the outside world? In this paper, we discuss the perceptions of place, role and mission in the external world in the political discourse of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 

Based on an analysis of all the 'state of the nation' addresses the presidents of the two de facto states have given to their respective parliaments from second half of the 1990s onwards, we address the following questions: How are various countries, external actors and geographic spaces (e.g., Russia, Europe, Caucasus, Black Sea, Eurasia) represented in the speeches? What meanings are attached to these space (are they hostile, friendly, exemplary or negative role models)? And, finally, what do these representations tell us about their own perceived place and role in these spatial constructions?

Theoretically, we draw on insights from of critical geopolitics and the 'self-other' dyad, according to which a collective identity, or the 'self', is a product of relations and comparisons with 'others'. Methodologically, we base the analysis on a combination of content and discourse analyses, focusing both on frequencies as well as the expressed and implied identities we identify in the addresses. Based on our findings, we argue that we need to reconsider some widespread perceptions about these entities self-understanding.