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Armenia, Georgia, Russia: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Course Description

Course is designed for the summer study abroad program in Armenia and Georgia. Introduces students to the vibrant and diverse history and cultural life of the Caucasus region. Students will examine the multi-century dialogue between Armenia, Georgia, and Russia across ethnic, religious, geographical, and cultural divides.

Athena Title

Russia and the Caucasus

Prerequisite

Permission of department

Semester Course Offered

Offered summer semester every year.

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will learn to investigate how geography, politics, religion, and cultural practices shape identity and community in the Caucasus. Students will develop awareness of the historical and contemporary relationships between the Caucasus region (Armenia and Georgia), Russia, and the United States.
  • Students will gain skills in intercultural communication and empathy, fostering a sense of responsibility and respect towards global cultural diversity, particularly by learning about Armenian and Georgian diasporic connections to the U.S.
  • Students will learn about the historical and cultural ties between Armenia, Georgia, and Russia, focusing on key events that have influenced cultures of the Caucasus and their relationships with neighboring countries.
  • Students will learn about the Armenian and Georgian diasporas in the U.S., with particular attention to the ways these communities preserve cultural traditions and influence U.S. culture, contributing to American multiculturalism.
  • Students will learn about the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Caucasus, including the roles of minority groups and the preservation of languages and traditions amid Russian and Western influences.
  • Students will learn to analyze similarities and differences in cultural practices, values, and societal norms between Caucasian cultures and U.S. communities with Armenian and Georgian roots.
  • Through interaction with local organizations, students will learn how to engage directly with Armenian and Georgian communities in the Caucasus, practicing respectful communication and gaining firsthand insights into cultural practices.
  • Students will learn to navigate unfamiliar situations, respect cultural norms, and appreciate the diversity of human experiences.
  • Students will be able to identify causal relationships between social and cultural systems of Armenia and Georgia, and the environmental, religious, and historical circumstances under which they develop.
  • Students will perfect their writing and oral skills by presenting their findings throughout the course in essays and oral presentations.
  • Students will learn to tailor communication strategy and style based on the audience in the countries of study.

Topical Outline

  • Historical Religious Landscape of the Caucasus Early Spread of Christianity and Islam: The introduction and historical spread of Christianity in Armenia (as the first officially Christian nation) and Georgia, as well as the spread of Islam in the region, especially through neighboring Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Persia. Religious Institutions and Power: How religious institutions shaped political, social, and cultural life, including the roles of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church. Religious Minority Communities: The historical presence of Jewish, Yazidi, and other minority religious communities and their influence on the Caucasus's cultural mosaic. Russian Orthodoxy as a Tool of Influence: Analyze how Russia has used Orthodoxy as a means of political influence in the Caucasus, promoting Orthodoxy in Georgia and Armenia while attempting to integrate these cultures within the Russian Empire.
  • Religion and National Culture as Identity and Resistance Religious Persecution and Conflict: The impact of religious persecution, from the Ottoman Empire’s targeting of Armenians to Soviet repression, and how these events are remembered in Armenian, Georgian, and diasporic communities today. The representation of Armenian and Georgian identity in film and art: Sergei Parajanov (art and cinematography); Georgiy Daneliya (cinematography), Sayat Nova (music and poetry), Otar Iosseliani and Tengiz Abuladze (cinematography), national dance and music.
  • Interfaith Relations and Multiculturalism Christian-Muslim Relations: The coexistence and tension between Christian and Muslim communities, examining interactions in both peaceful coexistence and conflict, and how these relationships shaped cultural diversity. Impact of Soviet Atheism: How Soviet atheism attempted to erase religious identity, and how religion became a form of passive resistance and cultural preservation, with ongoing implications today.
  • The Geopolitics of the Caucasus Regional Conflicts: The role of religious identity in conflicts, such as Nagorno-Karabakh, and how these disputes resonate within Armenian and Georgian communities, including those in the U.S. Diasporic Influence on Geopolitical Perspectives: How Armenian and Georgian diasporic communities in the U.S. and other parts of the world advocate for their homelands.
  • Modern Multiculturalism in the U.S. and Caucasus American Diasporas: The impact of Armenian and Georgian American communities on the cultural landscapes in the U.S., including the preservation of traditional practices and their influence on multiculturalism in U.S. society.
  • Russian Literature on the Caucasus Romanticism and the "Exotic" Caucasus: Pushkin and Lermontov. Imperialism and Cultural Encounters: Tolstoy’s Hadji Murat and The Cossacks. Early 20th-Century Views and Cultural Reflection: Valery Brusov’s poetry and prose on Armenia and Boris Pasternak’s lesser-known Caucasian poems. Late Soviet and Post-Soviet Reflections: Andrei Bitov’s A Captive of the Caucasus, a meta-literary exploration of Russian and Caucasian identity. Contemporary Interpretations and Diaspora Voices: contemporary authors and poets from the Caucasus (such as Fazil Iskander and Alisa Ganieva).
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