Religious liberalism: issues of religious minorities in Georgia
Date
2019
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Since 2012, there have been several issues concerning the Georgian Muslim community.
These issues include the dismantling of a minaret, the dispute over ruined mosque, and the
nailing of a pig’s head to a madrassa door. Common causes attributed to these events are the
failure of the Central Government to react properly to these issues, the attitudes and rhetoric
of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and popular Turkophobia. This research seeks to find the
cause of these issues and investigate what they reveal about the democratization process of
Georgia. The hypotheses investigated include the roles of the Georgian Central Government,
The Georgian Orthodox Church, and popular Turkophobia in instigating these cases. This
qualitative research investigates each of the cases of discrimination involving the Georgian
Muslim minority originating from Adjara. The cases are analysed in depth through the use
of news media and secondary data. To verify the findings and to gain an experienced
perspective on the issues, interviews were conducted with experts who have worked with this
minority group and other minority issues in Georgia. The theoretical framework of this
research involves the concepts of democratization, particularly the concepts of democratic
consolidation, majoritarian democracies, liberal/illiberal democracies, state strength, and
pluralism. The research findings conclude that all three of the hypotheses are interrelated
causes of the cases in question. The findings of the research indicate that the ultimate cause
of the cases is Georgia being a weak state that is unable to function without the approval of
the Georgian Orthodox church. In addition to this, popular Turkophobia is used as a tool by
opponents of the activities of the Georgian Muslim group. It is revealed from the research
that Georgia is in the process of democratization, and that it can be labelled as a majoritarian
or illiberal democracy, because it lacks the state strength to implement the values of a liberal
democracy.