Beyond Ideology Affect, Loyalty, and Political Division in Post-Soviet Georgia
Most theories of political polarization assume that opposing camps are divided by ideology, party loyalty, or clashing values. But what happens when a society is politically divided for other reasons entirely? Nino Zhghenti’s project turns to Georgia to examine polarization rooted not in ideology, but in affect, memory, and loyalty.
Drawing on more than fifteen years of research in Georgia (GE), Nino explores how emotional attachments, personal loyalties, and perceptions of threat shape political identities and relationships between opposing groups. The project challenges approaches developed mainly from Western democracies, where polarization is often explained through ideological conflict, party competition, or value differences. Nino argues that polarization may also take culturally specific forms rooted in collective experiences and emotional bonds. Georgia therefore provides a valuable case for rethinking how political divisions emerge and become enduring.
By bringing political sociology into dialogue with history, social psychology, memory studies, and visual communication, the project develops a broader framework for understanding polarization across different political and cultural settings. During the fellowship, Nino will develop the theoretical foundation and structure of a book on democratic conflict and political polarization in post-Soviet Georgia and beyond.