International Conference on the State of Civic Education in Post-Soviet Countries: from Formal to Informal Practices

On May 21-22, the Civic Education Lecturers Association (CELA) hosted the second international conference at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University on the State of Civic Education in Post-Soviet Countries: from Formal to Informal Practices.

Academics and researchers from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, USA, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan presented their papers on various aspects of civic education. Simultaneous translation was provided into Georgian, Russian and English languages.

This conference was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Strengthening Electoral Processes in Georgia project, implemented by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

See the conference program below:

May 21, Saturday

10:30 – 11:00        Registration

11:00 – 11:20        Opening  Speech

                              Malkhaz Matsaberidze, Head of Department of Political Science TSU
                             Tamar Karaia, CELA Executive Director
                              Nermin Nisic, IFES Georgia Chief of Party

11:20 – 12:50     First Panel:  Practices and Challenges of Civic Education
                           Moderator: George Gobronidze, Georgian American University

     1. Open Government data as an instrument of civil engagement
      Mariia Kriuchok, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine                               

     2. The core character of civic education and intercourse connection
      Rusudan Tevzadze, Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia

     3. Global citizenship and the role of technology
      Kanan Fidrovsi, Azerbaijan State University of Economic, Azerbaijan                              

     4. From social studies to civic education (importance of education in citizen formation process)
       Maia Kvrivishvili, Tbilisi State University, Institute of Cultural Studies, Georgia                               

     5. Civil society vs. the Ukrainian state
       Oleksandr Svyetlov, Institute of Historical Memory, Ukraine

     6. Development of Civil Society in Georgia
       Alexander Kukhianidze, Tbilisi State University, Georgia     

12:50 – 13:00        Discussion

13:00 – 14:00        Lunch 

14:00 – 15:30        Second Panel:  Power, Citizenship and Identity Formation

                            Moderator: Alexander Kukhianidze, PhD in Philosophy, Professor                                

1. Teachers’ perceptions of civic education in Azerbaijan – a Post-Soviet  country
   Javid Jafarov, Queens’s University of Belfast, UK

      2. Person’s socialization in the transformation of educational space
         Galina Gorban, Dnipropetrovsk Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine

      3. Features of foreign orientation in minorities
        Malkhaz Matsaberidze, Tbilisi State University, PhD in Political Science, Professor, Georgia

      4. Civic education policy of private educational institutions in Ukraine
​        Angela Akaemova, University of Kyiv, Ukraine

      5. Eco-migration and religious conflicts in Georgia (2010–2016 years)
        Ivane Tsereteli, Tbilisi State University, Georgia

      6. Pre-school education in Georgia
         Ketevan Kukhianidze, Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University, Georgia           

15:30 – 16:00     Discussion

16:00 – 16:30     Final remarks and future prospects

May 22, Sunday

11:00 – 12:00 First Panel: Developing Democracy

                      Moderator: Salome Dundua, PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor

      1. Georgia  at the Beginning of  the Democracy : Controversial National Project Features(1989-1991)
       Irakli Chkhaidze, Ilia State University, Institute of Political Science

      2. Customs influence on the development of democracy
      Lali Antidze, Batumi State University, Georgia

      3. General aspects of Russia’s soft power policy in Georgia and civic education
      Ketevan Mukhiguli, Caucasus University, Georgia

      4. Environmental Civil Activism in Georgia
      Tamar Karaia, Salome Dundua, Tbilsi State University, Georgia

      5. Gender policy of political parties in local self-government elections in 2014
      Eka Darbaidze, Ilia State University, Institute of Political Science, Georgia

      6. Imported leaders and global citizenship
      Lana Ghvinjilia, University of Georgia, Department of Social Sciences, Georgia

13:15 – 13:30   Discussion

13:30 – 14:30   Lunch

14:30 – 16:45   Second Panel: Democracy and State Building
                         Moderator: Tamar Karaia, PhD in Political Science, TSU

       1. Civic sector and the state on women’s political participation in Georgia
        Manana Darchashvili, Georgian Technical University, Georgia

       2. Political ideologization: Analysis of  Georgian political system
        Giorgi Melikidze, Ilia State University, Institute of Political Science, Georgia

       3. Action plan for visa liberalization and its impact on citizens
         Inga Mirkhanashvili, Ilia State University, Georgia

       4. Elections as the instrument of  building  democratic state in the South Caucasus countries
         Lia Tetradze, Ilia State University, Institute of Political Science, Georgia

       5. The Study of History: From ethnic to civic nationalism
          Mirzaev Djalalitdin, Eurasia Research Institute, Kazakhstan

       6. Civic Education in transitional societies, target-setting and the practical outcome
         Irina Trofimova, Institute of Sociology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

       7. Civic Education in Azerbaijan
        Ali Askerov, University of North Carolina, Department of Peace and Conflicts Study, USA

       8. Responsible leadership in modern society
        Emilia Vorontsova, Insitute of Modernization of Education content, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Ukraine

       9. The role of civic education in public administration
        Kakhaber Uriadmkopeli, Georgian-American University, Georgia

16:45 – 17:00 Discussion

17:00 – 17:15 Conclusion of the conference and future prospects