Home History The Dynamic Character of the Conflictual Historical Narrative (on the Example of the Georgian-Turkish Relations)
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

The Dynamic Character of the Conflictual Historical Narrative (on the Example of the Georgian-Turkish Relations)

  • Khatuna Chapichadze
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Instrumentalizing the Past
This chapter is in the book Instrumentalizing the Past

Abstract

In the paper we aim to illustrate how the heavy conflictual historical narrative of the Georgian-Turkish relations, complicated through centuries, has transformed significantly into the opposite. For understanding the hard background, it is noteworthy to mention that the relatively newly emerged bigger neighbor in the face of the Muslim Ottoman or Turkish Empire started its invasions of the smaller Orthodox Christian Georgian territories in the fifteenth century and, due to its exceeding power, managed to conquer the southern and southwestern parts of Georgia (the very “centre” of the historical Georgian culture) from the second half of the sixteenth century. In contrast to the historical context, considering the different strategic choice of post-Soviet, independent Georgia towards its maximal Westernisation may be not surprising, however it is still interesting is to analyse the Georgian- Turkish relations particularly after the collapse of the USSR, which has been marked with the establishment or by claiming the special, strategically and “historically” friendly relations between the two nations since the beginning of the 90s of the twentieth century. It is also noteworthy to mention here that nowadays Turkey is the largest trading partner of Georgia, and the private Sector of Turkey represents one of the largest investors in the Georgian economy. Despite the actual contradictory historical narratives or just promoting them as such even due to different interests emerging under the distinguishing epochal circumstances not only for Georgia, but also for Turkey, abandoning the issue of how legitimate territorial claims can be in our case, it seems useful to realise in general that narratives, and sometimes even historically wellgrounded ones, have a potential to successfully change depending on the dynamic interests and conditions. This might be addressed in the paper as one of the most promising factors when we are thinking of the efficient and sustainable conflict resolution or transformation

Abstract

In the paper we aim to illustrate how the heavy conflictual historical narrative of the Georgian-Turkish relations, complicated through centuries, has transformed significantly into the opposite. For understanding the hard background, it is noteworthy to mention that the relatively newly emerged bigger neighbor in the face of the Muslim Ottoman or Turkish Empire started its invasions of the smaller Orthodox Christian Georgian territories in the fifteenth century and, due to its exceeding power, managed to conquer the southern and southwestern parts of Georgia (the very “centre” of the historical Georgian culture) from the second half of the sixteenth century. In contrast to the historical context, considering the different strategic choice of post-Soviet, independent Georgia towards its maximal Westernisation may be not surprising, however it is still interesting is to analyse the Georgian- Turkish relations particularly after the collapse of the USSR, which has been marked with the establishment or by claiming the special, strategically and “historically” friendly relations between the two nations since the beginning of the 90s of the twentieth century. It is also noteworthy to mention here that nowadays Turkey is the largest trading partner of Georgia, and the private Sector of Turkey represents one of the largest investors in the Georgian economy. Despite the actual contradictory historical narratives or just promoting them as such even due to different interests emerging under the distinguishing epochal circumstances not only for Georgia, but also for Turkey, abandoning the issue of how legitimate territorial claims can be in our case, it seems useful to realise in general that narratives, and sometimes even historically wellgrounded ones, have a potential to successfully change depending on the dynamic interests and conditions. This might be addressed in the paper as one of the most promising factors when we are thinking of the efficient and sustainable conflict resolution or transformation

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. International Conflicts Employing History as Its Instrument: What they are and how to Measure them?
  5. Historical Memory as a Variable: Two Analytic Frameworks 11
  6. How (and why) to Measure Conflicts of Memory? 31
  7. History as an Instrument of Politics in Central and Eastern Europe
  8. Between Orwell and Fukuyama. Poland and its Neighbours: Disputes over History 43
  9. Overcoming Conflicting Memories: History in the Polish-German Relations after 1989 55
  10. Heritage Burnt, Heritage Born – Paradox of “Space of Memory” in Conflicts: Ukraine’s Experience Reconsidered 71
  11. The Accession Policy and Identity Conflict 79
  12. Narrating Conflicts in Post-Truth Era: Facing Revisionist Russia. Ukraine and Georgia in a Comparative Perspective 91
  13. The Dynamic Character of the Conflictual Historical Narrative (on the Example of the Georgian-Turkish Relations) 125
  14. The Politics of Graves – Negotiations, Practice and Reactions about Fallen German Soldiers of World War Two and Their Resting Places in Russia 133
  15. Peaceful Foreign Policy and Remembrance of War Effort. The Conceptualisation of Willingness to Defend in Finland and Its Connections to Previous Armed Conflict, 1960s–1989 147
  16. History and Politics beyond Europe
  17. Shadows of the Past. Japanese Imperial Policy and Its Influence on Contemporary Domestic and Foreign Policy of Japan 159
  18. Disputes over Public Memory of U.S. Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Case of Smithsonian’s Enola Gay Exhibitions (1994–2003) 189
  19. Japan’s Power in East Sumatra and South Sumatra 201
  20. From Allies to Enemies; Putting the Israeli- Iranian Conflict in Historical Context 213
  21. History and its Impact on Contemporary International Relations: The Case of Rwanda 231
  22. Successes and Failures: Methods of Getting Out of Historical Conflicts
  23. The Resurfacing of the “Titanic” in the Balkan Bermuda Triangle: Political Conflicts over History between Sofia, Skopje and Athens before and after 1989 245
  24. Israeli-Polish Political Dispute over the Amendment of the Act of the Institute of National Remembrance 259
  25. Historical Commissions: A Mean to Overcome Traumatic Historical Experiences? 275
  26. Possibilities of Building a Memory Dialogue between Russia and Poland Concerning Soviet Repression 291
  27. List of Contributors 301
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110769791-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. International Conflicts Employing History as Its Instrument: What they are and how to Measure them?
  5. Historical Memory as a Variable: Two Analytic Frameworks 11
  6. How (and why) to Measure Conflicts of Memory? 31
  7. History as an Instrument of Politics in Central and Eastern Europe
  8. Between Orwell and Fukuyama. Poland and its Neighbours: Disputes over History 43
  9. Overcoming Conflicting Memories: History in the Polish-German Relations after 1989 55
  10. Heritage Burnt, Heritage Born – Paradox of “Space of Memory” in Conflicts: Ukraine’s Experience Reconsidered 71
  11. The Accession Policy and Identity Conflict 79
  12. Narrating Conflicts in Post-Truth Era: Facing Revisionist Russia. Ukraine and Georgia in a Comparative Perspective 91
  13. The Dynamic Character of the Conflictual Historical Narrative (on the Example of the Georgian-Turkish Relations) 125
  14. The Politics of Graves – Negotiations, Practice and Reactions about Fallen German Soldiers of World War Two and Their Resting Places in Russia 133
  15. Peaceful Foreign Policy and Remembrance of War Effort. The Conceptualisation of Willingness to Defend in Finland and Its Connections to Previous Armed Conflict, 1960s–1989 147
  16. History and Politics beyond Europe
  17. Shadows of the Past. Japanese Imperial Policy and Its Influence on Contemporary Domestic and Foreign Policy of Japan 159
  18. Disputes over Public Memory of U.S. Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Case of Smithsonian’s Enola Gay Exhibitions (1994–2003) 189
  19. Japan’s Power in East Sumatra and South Sumatra 201
  20. From Allies to Enemies; Putting the Israeli- Iranian Conflict in Historical Context 213
  21. History and its Impact on Contemporary International Relations: The Case of Rwanda 231
  22. Successes and Failures: Methods of Getting Out of Historical Conflicts
  23. The Resurfacing of the “Titanic” in the Balkan Bermuda Triangle: Political Conflicts over History between Sofia, Skopje and Athens before and after 1989 245
  24. Israeli-Polish Political Dispute over the Amendment of the Act of the Institute of National Remembrance 259
  25. Historical Commissions: A Mean to Overcome Traumatic Historical Experiences? 275
  26. Possibilities of Building a Memory Dialogue between Russia and Poland Concerning Soviet Repression 291
  27. List of Contributors 301
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 29.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110769791-009/html
Scroll to top button