SCHOOLS, MOSQUES AND RESTAURANTS: UNDERSTANDING TURKEY'S "SOFT POWER" IN AJARA
Keywords:
Turkey, Georgia, Foreign policy of Turkey, Turkey – Georgia relations, Ajara, Islam, Muslim population of AjaraAbstract
This research analyzes Turkish-Georgian relations, focusing on Turkish influence on Ajara and its formal and informal educational system, culture, and Turkey's use of “soft power.” This paper will review Turkey's main institutions and policies, political mechanisms, and sources of influence in Ajara. Specifically, it will cover the Muslim community in Ajara and address peculiarities in its educational system, culture, religion and "Gulen Movement" in context of Turkey’s foreign policy towards Georgia
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Interview with members of the group, that conducted fieldworks in Ajara within the anthropological project “CCC", 09 September, 2016, Yerevan
