Project Duration: 07.2015 || 06.2016
Status: Completed
Donor: National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Partners:
Budget: 58,400 USD
The Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) uses Endowment support to identify the challenges and opportunities facing democratization in Georgia. The organization is conducting research, producing policy papers, and hosting events related to key questions in Georgian democratization: the role of the church in civil society; international influence on domestic values and priorities; and the Georgian parliamentary system.
GIP will produce policy briefs on three topics:
- Religion & Democracy – Can The Georgian Orthodox Church Contribute To The Democratization Process?
- International influence on domestic values and priorities – Democracy Under Stress: Western Fatigue, Russian Resurgence, And Their Implications For Democratic Processes In Georgia
- Parliamentarism & Democracy – Georgia’s Parliament: A Rubber Stamp No Longer?
GIP hosts a roundtable discussion for stakeholders and a large public lecture based on the findings from each policy brief. The roundtable discussions involve groups of academics, government officials, religious figures, and civil society representatives. The goal of the roundtables is for GIP to share its finding and encourage further action based on its recommendations.
The lectures are conducted by a visiting international expert, who present GIP’s findings and place them in a global context. These guest lecturers are drawn largely from Central and East European nations that have experienced similar political developments to those that are currently taking place in Georgia.
Finally, GIP will host a large final conference to analyze the state of democratization in Georgia and identify obstacles and opportunities for further democratic development. The conference will involve panels on each of the three topics researched under this program. Copies of the papers will be available for participants. An additional thematic focus will be on Russia’s role in promoting authoritarianism in the region, and how security concerns complicate Georgian democratization.
