Religion as a Marker of Identity for Georgians (1860-1918)
Keywords:
religion, identity marker, identity formation, we, intellectuals, nationalismAbstract
In European countries, the process of self-determination of nations and formation of the main markers of identity began in the 19th century. The quest for answers to either of the questions “Who are ‘we’?” and “Who are ‘they’?” has not lost its relevance in the 21st century. Today’s answers to these questions are closely related to 19th century developments and to the beliefs and thoughts of the intellectuals of that time. Furthermore, the issues discussed by Georgian intellectuals in the second half of the 19th and at the beginning of 20th century remain controversial and still cause some public disputes. Therefore, it is important to track the identity formation process, which the current study is trying to do for the Georgian case.
The paper aims to study the role of religion in the process of identity formation in Georgia from the 1860s to 1918. This is a period when the narrative of Georgian identity was shaped, so the ideas widely discussed among the intellectuals of that period determined the main identity markers and the main borders of the “we” group. Moreover, the identity markers formed in the 19th century still shape current discussions on national issues. Georgia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. Therefore, it is important to know exactly how other religious groups were placed within the scope of the “we” group, and whether or not religion represented an identity marker that drew a strict line between the “we” group and the “others”. What thoughts were common among the thinkers of that period? Were there different opinions on this issue? Regarding religion and identity, what kind of ideas were transmitted to people and in what form?
The main research question is the following: What role did religion play in the process of defining “we” and “others” in Georgia (1860-1918)? A preliminary hypothesis is that religion was an important marker of identity, which determined the boundaries of the “we” group in Georgia from 1860 to 1918. Moreover, even today, in the 21st century, Georgianness is largely associated with the Georgian Orthodox Church and therefore there are certain expectations that a century ago the situation was quite similar and religion represented an important marker of identity. The current analysis is an attempt to check whether or not this is true.
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