environment and society

The Parliamentary Election of 2024 in Georgia: A Study of Public Expectations Based on the Example of the City of Gori

Dimitri Shavlokhashvili — 2025-06-18

The topic is highly relevant, as on October 26, 2024, Georgia held its 11th
parliamentary election, which are a key event in the country’s path toward European
integration. This is particularly significant following Georgia's receipt of EU candidate
status in December 2023, which brought the country even closer to the goal outlined in
Article 78 of its Constitution. Therefore, progress in the direction of the European course
is directly dependent on international assessments and reactions. Consequently, it is
crucial to observe every aspect of the elections. This study is novel because most
existing research on the topic focuses on the broader national level, often neglecting
regional contexts. The aim of this research is to examine the pre-election public
expectations in the city of Gori as a case study. Notably, studying public expectations
during the pre-election period is a fundamental component of strengthening democratic
discourse and governance. Pre-election expectations reflect the primary needs and
problems that specific groups within society face. This study discusses the importance
of understanding public expectations before the elections and their impact on the
electoral process, the formulation of party policies, and democratic accountability. By
analyzing the influence of public expectations, including the social-political context,
existing issues, societal needs, media narratives, and candidates' promises, this
research identifies factors that significantly shape voters' behavior in the electoral
process. The paper emphasizes the decisive role of anticipated sentiments in shaping
political outcomes and encouraging citizen participation. Furthermore, analyzing public
expectations offers policymakers insights into strengthening democratic decision-
making by considering the opinions and needs of the population. It is also important to
note that the study will provide an understanding of the political culture in the region. I
believe that the research will make a significant contribution to the Georgian academic
landscape. The study employs a qualitative approach, with focus groups being the
primary method used alongside other research techniques. I believe that the research
will also provide recommendations for political parties. On the one hand, it will inform
political parties about public expectations in the city of Gori, and on the other hand, it
will contribute to translating these expectations into reality and addressing the issues
faced by broad segments of society.

Inclusive higher education policy in Georgia: Comparative analysis of state universities and compatability with EU standards

Vano Gomurashvili — 2025-06-18

The article examines inclusive higher education policy in Georgia, specifically the
approaches of four universities: Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Kutaisi State
University, Batumi State University, and Telavi State University. The aim of this research
paper is to explore the higher education policies in Georgia concerning people with
disabilities and to assess the compatibility of inclusive education in Georgia with the
European Union’s approaches and objectives—both at the university level and at the
public policy level. Thus, the research is innovative as it addresses a relatively new
research direction in Georgian political science, specifically in the field of public policy,
by exploring the compatibility between Georgia’s sectoral policies and the European
Union.

The Causes of external labour migration in the Guria region and their reflection in the local media

Tamar Kirkitadze — 2025-06-18

The research aims to examine the causes of labor migration and the coverage of the issue in the local media, using the example of the Guria region. Labor migration can have social, economic, political, and multifaceted impacts, and migration rates provide insights into the socio-economic and political situation of the country. The study is relevant, as the growing number of emigrants in Georgia has been recorded for years, with the migration balance mostly being negative. One of the main reasons for leaving the country is the employment search, indicating that labor migration is a significant issue for us. Using the example of Guria, the research has allowed us to better understand the local situation, the economic and social conditions, why locals are forced to leave the region, and why they choose to migrate abroad rather than relocate within the country. It should also be noted that cases of internal migration are frequent; however, at this stage, our subject of interest is external migration. Guria was chosen due to its high unemployment rate and low average salary.
As for the media analysis, it is relevant because local media play a key role in shaping perception and discourse, especially on critical issues such as labor migration. Regarding the research methodology, qualitative research components were
used, specifically focus groups and semi-structured in-depth interviews, through which we explored the opinions of migrants, their family members, and other regional residents. Additionally, we applied qualitative content analysis to analyze how local media cover the issue.

This research represents a novelty, as there is virtually no academic literature in Georgian scientific discourse that studies labor migration in a regional context. Therefore, this study will contribute new insights and conclusions. The interdisciplinary approach helped us present, on the one hand, the phenomenon of labor migration in the context of the Guria region and, on the other hand, the role and involvement of the media in covering the issue with appropriate framing.