CONDUCTED RESEARCH

ONGOING

Gay Men, Queer Migration, and Spaces of Safety for Bodies & Minds

The research project is an autobiographical exploration of the alienation experienced by gay men from their bodies. Focused on resisting societal impositions related to the body, the study reveals the subsequent disconnection from one’s own body, leading to enduring anxiety and fear in an environment marked by fear, homophobia and violence. The project underscores the significance of safe spaces as crucial sanctuaries for the well-being of queer bodies and suggests that these spaces play a pivotal role in reestablishing a connection with the body and mitigating anxieties arising from external hostility. Emphasizing the absence of a singular place of belonging, particularly for queer bodies in exile from the global south, the research highlights the complexity of alienation and advocates for the recognition and addressing of these complexities, along with the imperative of fostering safe spaces and spaces of solidarity.

Highlighted Sources:

Place and Placelessness by Edward Relph

Queer Phenomenology by Sara Ahmed

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

The Fogging of Spaces in the 20th Century French Writing by Andreas Pichler

It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem

RECENT

My Gory Gonorrhea (1/2) & Paying for Our Adventures (2/2)

The research explores my personal journey and experiences around stigma, isolation, and intimidation within healthcare facilities in Georgia and Hungary. Specifically focusing on the treatment of gay male patients dealing with HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, I explore societal attitudes, healthcare facility conditions, discriminatory biases, and challenges faced by marginalized individuals seeking care. Beyond sexuality, the research looks at discrimination in a broader sense and based on ethnicity and socio-economic status as well.

Highlighted Sources:

Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag

Angels in America by Tony Kushner

Autobiography and Performance by Deirdre Heddon

Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan & Jonny Donahoe

Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord by Kristina Wong

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Border Spectacle in the Mediterranean

The study investigates overarching narratives depicted in media and political discourse around people on the move in the Mediterranean region. The research analyzes the concept of the ‘border spectacle’ and highlights how it reinforces a criminalized and racialized portrayal of sub-Saharan people on the move. It addresses the Eurocentric perspectives in the construction of the Mediterranean as a site of violence and death and challenges the North-versus-South conception and emphasizes the power dynamics in migration and border policies.

Highlighted Sources:

Migrant “Illegality” and Deportability in Everyday Life by Nicholas P. De Genova

Border and im/mobility entanglements in the Mediterranean by Beste İşleyen & Nora El Qadim

The Unsacred and the Spectacularized: Alan Kurdi and the Migrant Body by Yasmin Ibrahim

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Inner Rave

The research centers around the coming-out process in the Georgian context as a gay man. It explores the themes of trauma, self-discovery, and the impact of (domestic) homophobia. The study examines the process through the performance studies angle and emphasizes the importance of intimate presence and support provided by the coming-out process spectators.

Highlighted Sources:

10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Find Real Love by Dr. Joe Kort

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brene Brown

The Story of Brahma, the Hindu God of Creation

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Heteronormativity of Supra

The research is an exploration of the Georgian cultural identity, particularly centered around the Supra tradition. It goes into the historical context of Supra as a cultural differentiator in response to annexations and occupations and emphasizes its role as a form of resistance and a concentrated expression of the Georgian identity. Through the character of Tamada, the toastmaster at Supra, the study critiques several aspects of Supra, namely its heteronormativity, male chauvinism, and gender dynamics, as well as its impact on women. The study suggests a more balanced and inclusive approach to preserving the essence of Supra.

Highlighted Sources:

ქართული სუფრა ტრანსფორმაციის პროცესში [Georgian Supra in the process of transformation] by Aleksandre Kevkhishvili

Inspiration:

The works of Hannah Arendt, Albert Memmi, Isabel Wilkerson, and Shulamith Firestone broadened my horizons on soft power, imperialism, normalized systems of oppression, spirituality, ancestry, cultural and national identities, and hyper-patriotism. These works enhanced my understanding of the complexities of identity, and I endeavored to incorporate this knowledge into my research.

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Border Violence & the EU

The research investigates the European Union’s engagement in outsourcing border violence responsibilities to Private Military and Security Companies beyond the EU territory. It specifically concentrates on the Mediterranean region, and highlights the nature of PMSCs and international legal landscape in which they operate, their operational methods, and instances of human rights violations reported by various international organizations. The study also explores the integration of PMSCs within the EU power structure, identifies significant actors involved, and examines their sources of financing.

Highlighted Sources:

Offshoring and Outsourcing Border Control: The EU’s use of Private Military and Security Companies by Micol Ambroso

The Rise of Private Military and Security Companies in European Union Migration Policies by Daria Davitti

Security, industry and migration in European border control by Martin Lemberg-Pedersen

ARCHIVE

The Heresy of Innocence

Discrimination against the Nubian community in Kenya

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Challenging the Passport Privilege

The paper examines the legal complexities and its implications surrounding the concept of ‘passport privilege’ that exists among individuals from the Global North and places those from the Global South in underprivileged, undermined and discriminatory conditions. The study analyzes the practical challenges faced by third-country nationals in the European Union and argues that the discriminatory attitudes towards them are not adequately addressed locally and internationally. Two main aspects discussed are the restricted access to freedom of movement and race discrimination. These issues are explored through an analysis of the colonial history and legal dimensions of the European Union, Council of Europe and United Nations. In addition, the paper touches on the idea of Universal Citizenship and assesses its practical applicability to the issue of “passport privilege” on the example of Ecuador. While the research shows that the current policies restricting third-country nationals are introduced for specific and partly legitimate reasons, the study claims that these measures are based on stereotypical assumptions and, as a solution, it provides seemingly radical, but not impossible, individualized ways of screening third-country nationals in Europe that is less discriminatory and more consistent with universal human rights standards.

Highlighted Sources:

“Passport Trade”: A Vicious Cycle of Nonsense in the Netherlands by Dimitry Kochenov

The meaning of racial or ethnic origin in EU law by Lilla Farkas

The Strasbourg Court and Indirect Race Discrimination: Going Beyond the Education Domain by Mathias Moschel

ECtHR, Biao v. Denmark

Universal Citizenship Through the Discourse and Policy of Rafael Correa by Jeffrey D. Pugh

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‘Drugs’ & Bodily Autonomy in the EU

The research focuses on the disparities in drug liberalization policies, specifically examining cannabis. It notes inconsistencies in approaches among Council of Europe countries and highlights instances of decriminalization for recreational or medical use and contrasting them with strict prohibitions in different states. The study challenges perceptions of drug danger, citing a 2010 study ranking alcohol as more harmful than cannabis and ‘psychedelic’ mushrooms. Emphasizing historical stigmatization influenced by figures like Harry J. Anslinger, the research explores human rights implications and argues that criminalization for private, recreational use violates rights to bodily autonomy, integrity, private life and self-determination. The research also mentions a more liberalized approach to drug policies with government-controlled mechanisms to minimize harm associated with drug abuse.

Highlighted Sources:

Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn’t the world copied it? by Susana Ferreira

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Effect of the Georgian Orthodoxy

The research explores the impact of the Georgian Orthodoxy on society, specifically addressing the question of whether the influence of the Orthodox Church leads to the marginalization or empowerment of the population. The paper investigates the context of ‘traditional values’ and human rights and mentions the UN Human Rights Council’s Resolution 16/3 and its connection to the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church. The research then focuses on the Georgian Orthodox Church, its constitutional privileges, and its relationship with other religious denominations. The mainstream interpretation of the Bible on Georgia’s legal and political landscape is discussed, particularly regarding issues such as homosexuality and gender equality. The paper emphasizes the need to reconsider the prioritization of ‘traditional values’ over human rights.

Highlighted Sources:

Law, Religion, and Human Rights by John Witte, Jr.

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‘Stalin’s List‘

The research revolves around the Great Terror in Soviet Georgia during 1937-1938. The focus is on individuals who were part of ‘Stalin’s list,’ a targeted operation against the elite, including scientists, writers, cultural figures, and artists. The study aims to investigate why and how people ended up on this list and were subjected to brutal treatment, not only for potential threats to the regime, but also due to the personal reasons of Lavrentiy Beria, a former NKVD leader and Stalin’s security chief. The research also seeks to shed light on the power dynamics between Stalin and Beria, as well as the gross human rights violations committed by Beria in Soviet Georgia. The research highlights two artists, Ketevan Nadareishvili and Evgeni Mikeladze, who experienced the heinous consequences of Beria’s personal vengeance. The study suggests further oral history research, archival visits, and interviews with relevant individuals to reconstruct the narratives and contribute to understanding the historical context and implications of the Great Terror in Soviet Georgia.

Highlighted Sources:

კენჭები [Kenchebi] by Zaira Arsenishvili

Art and authoritarianism by Jodie Ginsberg

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