Month: September 2021

A Diplomat in Georgia – Seminar with Denis Keefe Oct 8

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Welcome to our online seminar with Denis Keefe (CMG, Director National Security Faculty, Royal College of Defence Studies, London):  A Diplomat in Georgia

When: Oct 8, 1.15–3 pm (Swedish time)
Where: Zoom https://mau-se.zoom.us/j/66691993405?pwd=ZmpyZWhSbEZSc0RRZ3BtT1dOZ2tJZz09 
Passcode: 198336

Abstract

Being Ambassador in Georgia is an intense experience which links together cultural, political, historical and strategic issues as you seek to understand and engage with developments. This was particularly true in the period 2007-2010, which included the war with Russia. Denis Keefe reflects on what he learned about Georgia, the Caucasus and Russia.

Denis Keefe (right) by the Black Cliff Lake in
Lagodekhi, on the Georgia/Russia border

Bio

Denis Keefe studied at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, and spent 37 years as a British diplomat. Since 2019 he has been one of the Senior Directing Staff at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. He has specialised in Central and Eastern Europe, including postings in Prague and Moscow, as well as Kenya. His first posting as Ambassador was to Tbilisi in 2007-2010. In preparation for this, he started to learn Georgian online at Malmo University. His last diplomatic posting was as Ambassador to Serbia from 2014-2019.

The seminar is part of the series Meet Georgian Culture at Malmö University. Read more here.

Seminar with Prof Tinatin Bolkvadze Oct 1

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The language situation in multilingual Georgia

Welcome to the online seminar on October 1 with Professor Tinatin Bolkvadze, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics.  The topic of her talk is the language situation in multilingual Georgia. She will compare the sociolinguistic situation in Soviet and   post-Soviet Georgia, and discuss the hierarchy and sociolinguistic attributes of languages spoken in Georgia and the main problems of the language policy of Modern Georgia.

Professor Bolkvadze takes active part in the work of the Georgian State Language Department. She is the head of the Section for Academic and Educational Programs (www.enadep.gov.ge  She is also active in the Giorgi Akhvlediani Society for the History of Linguistics (http:gashol.ge).

When: October 1, 1.15–3.00 (Swedish time)
Where: Zoom (sign-up here)

The seminar is part of the series Meet Georgian Culture at Malmö University. Read more here.

Seminar with Prof. Zaal Kikvidze Sept 24

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Address in Georgian: Language and Society through History

Welcome to the online lecture with Prof. Zaal Kikvidze, Arn. Chikobava Institute of Linguistics and Tbilisi State University: Address in Georgian: Language and Society through History.
When: Friday September 24, 3–5 pm (Swedish time)
Where: Zoom lecture, for late sign up, contact caucasus.studies@mau.se

Prof. Zaal Kikvidze at Malmö University annual celebration

The lectutre is a discussion of address behavior in Georgian with special reference to a Georgian equivalent of Ladies and Gentlemen (kalbat’on.eb.o da bat’on.eb.o), focusing its etymology, development, usage, and meaning, and its socio-cultural implications, since ancient times till our days.

Brief bio

Prof. Dr. Zaal Kikvidze is Senior Research Fellow at Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics, Tbilisi State University. His research interests include South Caucasian languages, Sociolinguistics, Language and Gender Studies, History of Linguistics, Lexicography, Corpus Linguistics.

In different periods Dr. Zaal Kikvidze has been a visiting researcher and lecturer at Malmö University with support from Erasmus Mundus and Linneaus Palme Programmes.