Nationalism as an Obstacle to Conflict Resolution and Peace Building Processes in Georgia

Abstract

The article seeks to explore the impact of nationalism on Georgia’s ethno-territorial conflicts and its negative role in conflict transformation and peace building processes. By looking at fundamental differences and contradictions between Georgian, Abkhaz and Ossetian national projects, article claims that Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts were unavoidable. It also discusses all key arguments and counterarguments of conflicting parties, such as discrepancies in rethinking the history, demographic expansion, attempt of assimilation, linguistic politics, etc. When nationalism becomes key trigger of conflict and mistrust between the parties, the ground for external intervention is convenient to use existing situation and strengthen its influence in a country or region. In Georgian ethno-territorial conflicts, this destructive external power was Russian Federation. Hence, disagreement between Georgian, Abkhaz and Ossetian national projects as well as Russia’s destructive engagement and declaration of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, postpones conflict resolution and complicates peace building processes.