Stalin’s cult in Georgian colours: historical narratives and cultural work in the production of Georgian Stalinism, 1924–1956

Thesis

This thesis explores the complex relationship between Stalinism and Georgian nationalism, which has attracted growing scholarly interest in recent years. However, it goes beyond merely describing the persistence of pro-Stalinist sentiments in Georgia and examines the roots of the endemic Georgian form of Stalinism during the Stalinist and early post-Stalin periods, from 1924 to 1956. By adopting poststructuralist and postcolonial frameworks, this thesis offers a new analytical perspective on Stalinism and argues that Stalinism has never been a homogeneous and fixed phenomenon but a multi-layered, heterogeneous, and fluid construct which has manifested itself differently in different sociopolitical contexts and ethnic backgrounds. In this case, Georgian Stalinism serves as an illustrative example that challenges the dominant, Russia-centred view of Stalinism as a hegemonic construct by highlighting its variation in the Soviet periphery. This research is based on the extensive study of the underexplored archival documents from Georgia’s former Soviet archives, as well as diaries, memoirs, letters and photographs from personal and institutional collections. Drawing on these materials, it explores the formation of Georgian Stalinism by tracing the unstable power dynamics between the Soviet centre and Georgian periphery, as well as among local actors, including the Georgian political elite, intelligentsia and the general public. This study examines how these dynamics produced and reproduced Stalin’s Georgianised cult through formal structures in the fields of history, literature, visual arts and cinematography, as well as informal, everyday practices. The analysis shows that Georgian Stalinism was a negotiated construct, shaped through the interwoven interests and dynamic relations between the Soviet centre and the Georgian political and cultural elite. It also reveals the role played by ordinary Georgians in reproducing Stalin’s Georgianised imagery. Finally, the thesis exposes the anti-colonial aspects of Georgian Stalinism, which evolved into a vehicle for expressing Georgians’ veiled resistance against Moscow’s dominance.

Authors: Kartsivadze, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-zgpbb5jjx
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Stalin's Cult; Stalinism; Georgia; Soviet Union; postcolonialism
• Subjects: History of Stalinism; History of Georgia; History of the Soviet Union