Georgi Derluguian on the Making of Modern Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan

Why did Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan—once similar Soviet republics—take such different political and social paths? This conversation examines Armenia’s dismantling of its oligarchic order, Georgia’s cycles of charismatic leaders, and Azerbaijan’s oil-driven family run dictatorship. church-state tensions, migration patterns, and shifting geopolitical alignments. In this context, historical sociologist Georgi Derluguian discusses church-state tensions, migration patterns, and shifting geopolitical alignments in the region with CivilNet’ Eric Hacopian. 00:00 – 02:30 | Introduction to Armenian Church and Society Overview of church popularity and public perception. Is the current church-state conflict politically driven or historically rooted? 02:30 – 10:00 | Armenian Language, Identity, and Diaspora Historical importance of Armenian language and dialects. Role of the diaspora and survival of culture post-genocide. 10:00 – 17:30 | Church Influence and Social Transformation Church’s historic role in literacy, manuscripts, and fostering intelligentsia. Comparison with Irish and European nationalism. 17:30 – 25:00 | Modern Challenges for the Armenian Church Church’s relevance in the context of the state. Soviet-era influence and KGB involvement in church hierarchy. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s upbringing and attitudes toward corruption. 25:00 – 32:00 | Church-State Conflict as a Sign of Modernity Comparison with late 19th-century European church-state conflicts. Democratization and voter influence in Armenia post-2018. 32:00 – 40:00 | Lessons from Europe and Sweden Structural opposition of churches to democratization and political shifts. Historical examples: King Henry VII and Church of Sweden. 40:00 – 48:00 | Regional Geopolitics: Russia Recent Russia-Ukraine war dynamics and potential societal impacts. Russian veterans and future political influence. Role of bureaucracy and technocrats in post-war Russia. 48:00 – 55:00 | Regional Geopolitics: Turkey Erdogan’s rise through migration and village-to-city population shifts. Impact on Turkish society and potential long-term cultural changes. Case study: Story of Gian Tal and community organization in Istanbul. 55:00 – 63:00 | Regional Geopolitics: Iran Effects of recent attacks and consolidation of the regime. Islamism, nationalism, and prospects for future political change. Revolutionary Guard, supreme leader’s role, and governance dynamics. 63:00 – 65:00 | Closing Remarks Reflections on populism, historical patterns, and global political waves. Interview conclusion with Georgi Derluguian. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian Follow us on Instagram:   / civilnet.am   Follow us on X:   / civilnettv   Follow us on Telegram: https://t.me/s/civilnetv Follow us on TikTok:   / civilnet.am   Find us on Facebook:   / civilnet.tv   Follow us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/civilnet.bsk... Check our website: https://www.civilnet.am/ © Նյութի հեղինակային իրավունքները պատկանում են Սիվիլիթաս հիմնադրամին: ՍիվիլՆեթի խմբագրական քաղաքականության համաձայն` արգելվում է օգտագործել ՍիվիլՆեթի նյութերը առանց պատշաճ հղման, ներբեռնել և այլ օնլայն հարթակից վերբեռնել ՍիվիլՆեթի պատրաստած և տարբերանշանը կրող տեսանյութերը` առանց համապատասխան համաձայնության: © Copyright of this report belongs to the Civilitas Foundation. In accordance with the editorial policy of CivilNet (the media project of the Civilitas Foundation), materials may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior consent of CivilNet. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.