Reasons for the Formation of Student Protest Movements in Contemporary Georgia

Abstract

The work was supported by Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, within the framework of the 2023 targeted grant. Project title: "Student Protest Movements in Georgia: Reasons, Types, Results (2016-2022)." The formation and activism of student protest movements play a crucial role in state transformation, often acting as catalysts for broader societal change. "Student movements aim to bring about change, they express the concerns of the youth, and seek to make a difference in the world around them" (Tjhatra, 2022). Following the post-Soviet period, the crises in Georgia had a profound impact on the formation of society and its collective consciousness. Since 2011, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University has become a central hub for student protests, which later spread to other universities in the country. Students may unite around motivations such as institutional challenges, broader socio-political issues, or generational shifts (Lipset & Altbach, 1966). However, more often, protests are linked to complex internal university challenges faced by students. Activism is an inherent part of student life at Tbilisi State University, and as societal and political changes unfold, the nature of student movements also evolves. In 2016, the student movement "Auditoria 115" (Mandaria, 2017) introduced a new and larger-scale form of protest. The movement was involved not only in protesting university-related issues but also in addressing state-level concerns. The relevance and novelty of student protests in Georgia were further emphasised by the formation of the "May Student Movement" in 2020 (Tarkhnishvili, 2022). The reasons for the formation of "Auditoria 115" and the "May Student Movement" vary, often reflecting both internal university challenges and external, state-level issues. Given the significance of this issue in Georgia, this research aims to analyse the reasons behind the formation of contemporary student protest movements in the country. The research questions aim to determine: 1. What external factors (state, economic, social) influenced the formation of student movements, and 2. What internal university-related factors contributed to their formation? To explore this topic in depth, the analysis employs a combined approach that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The first stage involved reviewing existing academic literature and secondary sources on the topic, followed by the analysis of primary data through in-depth interviews. A total of 20 interviews were conducted with purposively selected former or current members of both protest movements, using a semi-structured interview guide. The first part of the interviews focused on the reasons for joining the protest movements. For the primary factorial analysis, the study also utilises quantitative research methods to categorise the internal university-related and external government-related reasons for protest. The data were categorised and coded based on two indicators—coverage area and percentage—and analysed using MAXQDA software for content coding. The selection of these student movements was based on their scale ("Auditoria 115") and novelty ("May Student Movement"). For the study of the reasons behind the formation of student movements in Georgia, this research is grounded in Collective Identity Theory. This theory emphasises the shared identity and solidarity of participants in social movements. Collective identity is crucial in strengthening solidarity among group members, enabling them to pursue common goals despite individual differences. Alberto Melucci explains that shared experiences, goals, and dissatisfaction with certain issues foster the formation of collective identity. Collective identity plays a crucial role in mobilising students around common issues, such as dissatisfaction with educational policies, political repression, or social injustice. Shared student experiences, such as studying at the same university, overcoming similar challenges (e.g., increased tuition fees, lack of representation), or participating in collective actions (e.g., protests), contribute to the formation of a common student identity. Student movements often emerge in response to perceived injustice and unmet needs, which become the focal point of collective identity. Furthermore, shared goals, such as political change, social justice, or educational reform, strengthen collective identity and give the movement a clear direction (Melucci, 1996). Melucci's explanation is directly applicable to the Georgian context, as seen in the cases of "Auditoria 115" and the "May Student Movement." In both instances, the groups coalesced around a shared objective, driven by a sense of injustice, which motivated participants from the same university to protest. In light of the Georgian example, the academic study of contemporary student movements offers valuable insights from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The novelty of the topic arises from the relatively short history of student movements in Georgia and the limited academic literature on this subject in the Georgian context. Therefore, the analysis presented here is a valuable contribution to academic research, drawing on both an extensive review of academic literature and the analysis of secondary documents, as well as primary empirical data. The primary data, reflecting the perspectives of students directly involved in the protests, are particularly significant. From a theoretical standpoint, this article will contribute to future research by providing a distinct perspective on the subject. Practically, studying student movements can help state institutions develop appropriate policies for universities facing similar challenges. Moreover, this research will provide valuable insights for those interested in studying the experiences of student protests in Georgia and other post-Soviet countries. This work will also lay the foundation for a comparative analysis, allowing for comparisons between Georgia's student movements and similar experiences in other countries. As such, the research will contribute to the deepening of academic discourse on student movements in Georgia and will help integrate this topic into international studies, enriching it with new empirical data.