Mariam Chkhartishvili
Date of Birth – June 30, 1955Education – Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of History (1977)
Education & Training:
Doctoral studies – Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology
Department of Source Studies (1988-1990)
Post-graduate studies – Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology
Department of Source Studies (1977-1980)
Undergraduate studies – Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University,
Faculty of History (1972-1977)
International Course on “Women Leadership in Civil Society” – Centre for International Cooperation Mashav, Israel (2007)
“University Management and Professionalizing Central Administration and Staff Management” Program – Central European University, Hungary (2006)
“Research Technologies Development” Program – European Community, Georgia (2001)
Employment
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Professor, Institute of Georgian History, 2006 – up to present
Director (2011-2014)
Ivane Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology
Main Researcher / Head of Department of Medieval Studies
2006 – up to present
Leading Researcher 1997 – 2006
Senior Researcher 1985 – 1997
Researcher 1981 – 1985
During 1990-2006: Georgian Technical University, Institute of Television and Radio, Secular Institute Gaenati, Open Humanitarian University, Aristotle Greek-Georgian University, Economical Humanitarian Institute Meridian
Fields of scholarly interests
Political and cultural history of medieval Georgia with particular attention to the issues of source criticism, historical memory of Georgian in-group and other markers of collective cultural identity. To study of Georgian hagiography as historical source were devoted the scholar’s candidate (1985) as well as doctoral (1996) dissertations, plenty of articles, presentations and also three books: Problems of Source Criticism and Georgian hagiography: The “Life of Saint Nino”. Tbilisi: Metsniereba, 1987 (in Georgian with summary in English), Martyrdom of St Eustathius of Mtskheta and Life of Saint Serapion of Zarzma. Source Criticism. Tbilisi: Metsniereba, 1994 (in Georgian with summary in English); Martyrdom of St Eustathius of Mtskheta and problems of political history of Georgia in 6th‑7th cc. Polemic Review. Tbilisi: Intelecti, 2005 (in Georgian with summary in English).
Since 1999 the scholar has been involved in research projects concerned the identity issues. To this topic were devoted many articles and national and international presentations among them the book “Georgian Ethnie in the Epoch of Religious Conversion”, 2009 (in Georgian with summary in English) that is focused on the history of Georgian identity in pre-modern era. With the issues of identity is also dealt the most recent book “On Georgian Identity and Culture.Nine international presentations by Professor Mariam Chkhartishvili” too. Currently the scholar is occupied in the research project “Printed Media and Process of Forging of the Georgian National Identity” supported by Georgian national foundation for Georgian Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences (Rustaveli Foundation).
Publications
161 publications, among them:
2002: Women at the crossroad of ideological epochs, Meskheti V (collection of historical papers, Tbilisi state University Press (article, in Russian with summary in English and Georgian))
2002: The history of conversion of Georgia in Light of ethnic studies. In: Proceeding of Inter-Institute Seminar at the Georgian Academy of Sciences, Publishing House Intelecti (article, in Georgian with summary in English)
2004: A.D.Smith.Nationalism. Theory, Ideology, History. Translated into Georgian by M.Chkhartishvili, ICGL
2005: Martyrdom of St Eustathius of Mtskheta and problems of political history of Georgia in 6th‑7th cc, Publishing House Intelecti (monograph, in Georgian with summary in English)
2005: The main Georgian identity marker. In: Georgia at the lines of Millennia, Publishing House Arete, (article, in Georgian with summary in English)
2006: Universalities of nationalist ideology in Georgian environment. In: Nationalism (article, in Russian)
2007: Universalities of nationalist ideology in Ilia Chavchavadze’s writings and public work. In: Chavcahavadze – 170, Institute of Georgian literature Press (article in Georgian)
2008: On Georgian identity religious marker. In: Studies in medieval history of Georgia, IX, Publishing House Universali (article, in Georgian)
2008: “The Life of Saint Nino” and the topics of modern historiography: ethnicity, hierotopy, gender. In: collection Saint Nino, Publishing House Artanudji (article in Georgian with summary in English)
2009: Georgian ethnie in the epoch of religious conversion. Publishing House Caucasian House (monograph in Georgian with summary in English)
2009: On Georgian identity and culture. Nine international presentations, Publishing House Universali
2009: Holy men and making of Georgian identity. L’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, , 5‑6 .
. 2009: Printed media and the process of shaping of the Georgian national identity according to the newspaper “Iveria” (January–March, 1878). 4th International Conference “Via Egnatia: Peoples and States – Cultural, Political, Regional Identities in the Past and Today” (Abstracts of Papers). Tbilisi: Universal, 21‑23 (2009)(co-author K.Mania).
2009:Forging Georgian identity. Ideology of ethnic election. Caucasiologic Papaers I. Tbilisi: Tbilisi University Press, 386‑391
2009:National identity and diaspora: Theoretical aspect of issue and main problems of the Georgian experience’ research. Cultural Dialogue and Diaspora (International Conference “Cultural Dialogue and the Role of Diaspora”). Tbilisi: Sakartvelos Matsne, 95‑100 .
Participation in scientific forums
Presentations at about 80 scientific forums, among them:
1998: International Scientific Conference: “Tbilisi–Jerusalem 2.
“Hebrew theme in Georgian messianic ideology”, Tbilisi
2002: International Scientific Conference: Catholic Missions in Georgia.
“Catholicism and Identity: Georgian Case”, Rome
2002: International Conference: The Urgent Problems for the Study of Historical Sources: Theoretical, Methodological and Computer Aspects.
“Informative value of hagiographical sources for study of ethnic identity”, Tbilisi
2003: International Seminar at the Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism (ASEN).
“Georgian identity: Stages of development”, London
2005: 2nd International Symposium “Christianity in Our Life: Past, Present, and Future”. “Christianity as a marker of the Georgian identity”, Tbilisi
2006: International Symposium “New Jerusalems: The Translation of Sacred Spaces in Christian Culture”.
” Mtskheta as New Jerusalem: Hierotopy in the “Life of St Nino”, Moscow
2007: International conference “: Ilia Chavchavadze and his epoch”.
“Universalities of nationalist ideology in Ilia Chavchavadze’s writings and public work”, Tbilisi
2007: 6th Annual International Caucasian Session.
“The Byzantine Emperor Constantine X Ducas in recollection of Georgian monk”, Warsaw
2008: International conference “Georgia: The Making of a National Culture”.
“Armenians in the process of Georgian identity forging”, Ann Arbor
2008: Third ‘Via Egnatia” Conference.
“Stepping towards West: Impact of Christianity on Georgian Identity Development”, Rome
2009: 4th International Conference “Via Egnatia: Peoples and States – Cultural, Political, Regional Identities in the Past and Today”. Tbilisi, Georgia
Printed media and the process of shaping of the Georgian national identity according to the newspaper “Iveria” (January–March, 1878).
2009: International Conference “Cultural Dialogue and the Role of Diaspora”
National identity and diaspora: Theoretical aspect of issue and main problems of the Georgian experience’ research. Tbilisi, Georgia
2010: The Balkans and the Caucasus. Parallel processes on the opposite sides of the Black Sea. Past, present, and prospects. An international symposium, Bucharest, Romania (co-author: S. Kadagishvili)
Perception of ethnicity in Medieval Georgia and in time of Georgian national consolidation
Participation in research grant projects
Last ten years, selective list:
1997-1999: Shaping of Georgian people self-awareness,
Georgian Academy of Sciences (researcher)
2001: Visiting Britain under the terms of the reciprocal academic Exchange Agreement between the British Academy and the Georgian Academy of Sciences for the exchange of scholars of post-doctoral status to carry out research on ‘Nationhood and Religion in Georgia’,
British Academy, (researcher)
2002-2003: Nationalism in Georgia,
Georgian Academy of Sciences (academic director, researcher)
2003: Visiting Britain under the terms of the reciprocal academic Exchange Agreement between the British Academy and the Georgian Academy of Sciences for the exchange of scholars of post-doctoral status to carry out research on ‘Cultural
Nationalism in Georgia’,
British Academy (researcher)
2005: History of Georgian identity,
Georgian Academy of Sciences (academic director and researcher)
2004-2005: “Georgia at the lines of Millennia”.
Georgian Identity Main Marker, OSGF (researcher)
2006: Educational program in international politics for students of primary schools. Universalities of Nationalism in Georgian Environment,
Fund of studies for strategic researches and international relations (researcher)
2006-2008: Collective cultural identities in the context of religious conversion: Georgian case study and generalizations.
LERL Foundation for Georgian Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences (Rustaveli Foundation) (researcher and project manager)
2008-2010: Printed media and the process of shaping of the Georgian national identity: Ilia’s Iveria,
LERL Foundation for Georgian Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences (Rustaveli Foundation) (researcher and project manager)
Courses delivered
History of Georgia (undergraduate); History of Georgian Culture (undergraduate); Georgian Hagiography as Historical Source for History of Medieval Georgia (undergraduate); Introduction to History (undergraduate); National Consolidation of Georgians in Modern Era and Russian Imperialism (19th – early 20th cc) (undergraduate); Armenians in the Process of Georgian Identity Forging (post-graduate); Research in History (post-graduate);, History of Georgian Identity (post-graduate); Notions of Nation and Nationalism in Current Academic Discourse (post-graduate).
Study programs directed
Undergraduate History Programs (Major and Minors); MA “History of Georgia”; MA “History of Georgia and Cultural Studies”(co-director Prof. N.Chikhovani); PhD Program “Georgian Source-Study and Historiography” ”(co-director Prof. G.Alasania).
Languages Georgian (native), English (advanced), Russian (fluent), French (reading), Ancient Armenian (reading), Ancient Greek (reading)
Interests Classical literature, Traveling, Cooking
Countries Visited Armenia, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Romania
