Civil society in the Soviet Caucasus: a historical analysis of public and private spheres

Aliyev, H. (2013) Civil society in the Soviet Caucasus: a historical analysis of public and private spheres. Orta Asya ve Kafkasya Araştırmaları = Journal of Central Asian and Caucasian Studies(15), pp. 72-100.

Abstract

Historical accounts and academic literature bear little reference to civic association in the peripheral, non-Russian regions of the USSR. While a multitude of studies exist on social life and civic association in Soviet Russia, little is known about the Soviet Cauca-sus. This article provides a historical examination of the public and private spheres of the Soviet Caucasus that attempts to determine whether civil society existed in the Caucasus during Soviet rule. This study’s findings suggest that while the public sphere was under the exclusive control of the communist-managed state organizations until the mid-1980s, the private sphere of the Soviet Caucasus was dominated by informal social networks, often serving both as a surrogate civil society and as a substitute for associational life.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Aliyev, Dr Huseyn
• Authors: Aliyev, H.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
• Journal Name: Orta Asya ve Kafkasya Araştırmaları = Journal of Central Asian and Caucasian Studies
• Publisher: International Strategic Research Organization
• ISSN: 1306-682X