Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Faculty of Humanities
Institute of Georgian History
Mission. Institute of Georgian History of the Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, is focussed on teaching and research in national history. Institute brings together the scholars, specialists of the Georgian history, covering different periods from Ancient times up to the present day and studying the history of Georgia as a part of the World evolutionary processes. Problems researched at the Institute include: political history of Georgia, social history, history of culture, history of the Georgian Orthodox Church, history of Georgian national identity, history of Georgian historical thought, source-study of Georgian history, urban history, military history, regional history, etc.
Personal. 1. Prof. Dr. Mariam Lordkipanidze, Academician, Georgian Academy of Sciences, TSU Rector’s special adviser, 2. Tedo Dundua (Director of the Institute), Dr. Hab. Professor, 3. Mariam Chkhartishvili, Dr. Hab. Professor, 4. Jaba Samushia, Dr. Professor, 5. Giorgi Otkhmezuri, Dr. Hab. Associate Professor, 6. Dimitri Shvelidze, Dr. Hab. Associate Professor, 7. Michael Bakhtadze, Dr. Hab. Associate Professor, 8. Niko Javakhishvili, Dr. Hab. Associate Professor, 9. Ketevan Nadiradze, Dr. Associate Professor, 10. Bondo Kupatadze, Dr. Associate Professor, 11. Apolon Tabuashvili, Dr. Associate Professor, 12. Ketevan Kutateladze, Dr. Assistant Professor, 13. Leri Tavadze, Dr. Assistant Professor, 14. Alexander Boshishvili, Dr. Assistant Professor.
Teaching process. Professors of the Institute of Georgian History are involved in different academic programs of the Faculty of Humanities, as well as other Faculties of TSU, mainly – in major program in history at the Faculty of Humanities, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Tedo Dundua, Prof. Dr. Levan Gordeziani and Prof. Dr. Teimuraz Papaskiri. Other programs include: History of Georgia, MA., led by Prof. Dr. Mariam Chkhartishvili; and History, PhD program, led by Prof. Dr. Tedo Dundua, Prof. Dr. Mariam Chkhartishvili . . . coordinated by Prof. Dr. Levan Gordeziani.
International cooperation. Professors are individually involved in different international projects, conferences and workshops. The Institute itself has special agreement of collaboration signed with Department of Modern and Contemporary History of Sapienza University in Rome, within the frames of general treaty between TSU and Sapienza University of Rome.
Publications. Members of the Institute contributed to the preparation of two selected works, like “Studies in Medieval History of Georgia” (v. 9, 2008, edit. by Mariam Chkhartishvili) and “Georgian Source-Studies” (v. 12, 2010, edit. by Giuli Alasania and Mariam Chkhartishvili). Contributions of individual professors are also prominent, including some hundred of monographs and articles per year. Two scientific journals are being issued at the Institute, initiated by Prof. Dr. Tedo Dundua, namely: 1. Proceedings, Institute of Georgian History, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (in Georg. with Engl. summaries, international scientific reports published in original languages) (8 volumes plus 2 special issue), 2. Proceedings of the Young Historians (in Georg. with Engl. summaries) (2 volumes).
Seminars and conferences. Cultural, Political, Regional Identities – Peoples and States in the Past and Nowadays – that was the main topic for the 4th International conference “Via Egnatia”, supervised by the Institute of Georgian History in November 2009, together with Silk Road Institute, The Black Sea International University. The result of the conference is important from the point of view of promotion of the researches in the field of Humanities. There are two seminars set up at the Institute of Georgian History for students, conducted by Prof. Dr. Mariam Chkhartishvili and Dr. Leri Tavadze. Annual conference of the Institute has been conducted since 2010 for presenting new achievements of the Institute of Georgian History.
History. During the reformation of 2003 - 2010 in educationary system of Georgia, the Chair of Georgian History, Cabinet of Georgian History, Research Centre of History of Georgian State and Folk Diplomacy, Research Laboratory of Source-Study and Historiography, attached to the Chair of Georgian History, were developed into the Institute of Georgian History. Institute of Georgian History at the Faculty of Humanities, TSU., is lawfull heir of almost century-long Chair of Georgian History and carries on rich tradition of historical researches at TSU.
Tbilisi State University was founded on February 8, 1918. There was only one faculty at that time, comprising the Chair of Georgian History from the very beginning. First course in Georgian history was conducted by Ivane Javakhishvili himself, founder of the new school of Georgian historiography and University itself.
When the Faculty of History and Literature was established in 1933, the Chair of Georgian History eventually joined the Faculty. And when in 1934 the mentioned Faculty was divided and the Faculty of History was set up, the Chair of Georgian History became again its essential part.
Many prominent scholars worked at TSU in the field of Georgian History, beginning with Ivane Javakhishvili, namely: Simon Janashia, Niko Berdzenishvili, Giorgi Melikishvili, Shota Meskhia, Nodar Shoshiashvili, Mariam Lordkipanidze, Roin Metreveli, etc. Some of them are still active.
