COMPLETED PROJECTS

   

Exploring the Security-Democracy Nexus in the Caucasus (CASCADE)

The overarching objective of the project was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the connections between security and democracy in the Caucasus in support of the  development of the EU’s external policy.  

The project’s specific objectives were: to conduct synergetic empirical research on democracy and security in the Caucasus,  to advance theoretical and conceptual knowledge on the democracy security nexus,  to provide forward-looking analysis on regional security and democratization in the Caucasus, to spur debate, networking and exchange of ideas between EU and Caucasian academic, policy-making, expert, media and NGO communities,  to deliver recommendations to the EU on how best to enhance its role and contribute to the resolution of security challenges in the region.

Research activities carried out by the Rondeli Foundatio, encompasses production of the following outputs:

• Policy brief “The fight against corruption”. It analyzed anti-corruption policies in the three South Caucasus countries in light of their cooperation with, and commitments vis-à-vis the EU. It examined the challenges to which the three countries are confronted in fighting corruption. It also assessed the  impact of EU policies in addressing corruption in the region and offer recommendations to strengthen the EU’s leverage in this respect.

• Working paper on “Oversight of the security sector by Parliaments and Civil Society in the Caucasus” . The working paper investigated the role of the actors involved in the security sector and its oversight (Parliamentary committees, civil society groups), and their interaction. The working paper offered recommendations for further development of the oversight system in the Caucasus. 

• Set of papers on “Political Order, Democratization and Civil Society in the Caucasus”. The papers studied the interactions between political elites and institutions, civil society and citizens in the Caucasus and their potential implications in terms of (in) security.

The project outputs  aimed at providing European institutions and decision makers, south Caucasian Governments, Parliaments, Civil society, epistemic circles, wider public with evidence based knowledge and understanding of the processes of democratization in the Caucasus, security and governance related challenges, also elaborating new and effective concepts for treating security challenges and softening its influence on the democratization process in the region.

In the scope of the project, the Rondeli Foundation facilitates organization of workshops and conferences in Tbilisi presented outcomes and results of the whole project and organized debates on the issues of the project.

The project was funded by the European Commission under FP7-SSH.2013.4.1-1 Security and democracy in the neighbourhood: the case of the Caucasus.  It was run by an international consortium represented by the following research organizations: Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation) (Georgia), the Foundation House of Human Sciences (France),  University of Birmingham (UK),  Foundation for International Relations and Foreign Dialogue (Spain), the  Stockholm International  Peace Research Institute (Sweden), Jena University (Germany), Russian Academy of Sciences - Institute of Geography, Center for National and International Studies (Azerbaijan), International Center for Human Development (Armenia).