The Institute for the Study of Nationalism and Conflicts (ISNC) announces a student essay competition on the topic of the Georgian–Ossetian conflict, within the framework of the project “Rethinking the Practices of Dealing with the Past.”

The competition aims to encourage young people to explore the current state of conflicts in Georgia, develop their analytical skills and understanding of conflict studies, and strengthen their experience in working with archival materials.

For this purpose, the Institute has created a digital resource — “The Timeline of the Georgian–Ossetian Conflict” — which brings together a collection of key documents and important press publications covering the most crucial period of the conflict, from the 1980s to August 7, 2008. The materials are arranged in chronological order and can be accessed via the following link:
https://www.sutori.com/story/k-art-ul-osuri-konp-lik-ti-isnc--746R3FMiftYruKBSnkEUAodd

Documents and texts from this period remain relatively inaccessible to both young researchers and the general public interested in conflict issues. The timeline provides structured and chronological access to these materials, which are essential for understanding and analyzing the full dynamics and genesis of the Georgian–Ossetian conflict.

Eligibility

The competition is open to students aged 18–28 enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs in any field, as well as to young people of the same age who have completed their bachelor’s or master’s studies within the last two years.

Thematic Requirements

• The essay must address the Georgian–Ossetian conflict;
• It must cover events between 1977 and 2008;
• It must use materials from the project’s archival resource — “The Timeline of the Georgian–Ossetian Conflict”;
• Participants may receive consultations with a conflict transformation expert. To request a consultation, participants must contact the consultant in advance to schedule an online meeting or correspond via email.

Technical Requirements

The essay must meet the standards of an argumentative academic paper, include citations where necessary, and contain a list of references.
Recommended structure:

• Title
• Introduction (general overview and context)
• Thesis presentation and argumentation (author’s position)
• Conclusion (summary)
• References

Formatting guidelines:

• Paper size: A4
• Margins: top/bottom – 2 cm; left/right – 2.5 cm
• Font: Sylfaen (Unicode)
• Font size: 12 pt
• Line spacing: 1.15
• Length: 3–5 pages

Competition Stages

Stage 1: Submission of application form
Applicants must provide: full name, age, educational background, proposed essay title, contact information, and consent for the essay to be published on the organization’s website.
Application form: https://forms.gle/vSA7dcxsz6Rc6KmHA
Deadline: July 19

Stage 2: Essay preparation and consultation period
Submission deadline: August 30

Stage 3: Evaluation and announcement of winners
Date: September 10, 2021

Awards

The evaluation committee will select three winners, who will receive the following honoraria:

1. First place – €250
2. Second place – €200
3. Third place – €150

Evaluation Criteria

• Relevance to the announced thematic criteria
• Depth of understanding of the topic
• Analytical rigor and argumentation
• Clarity and coherence of structure
• Writing quality and academic style
• Originality and innovation

Please send your completed essays to: info@isnc.ge

Essays containing plagiarism will be disqualified and not considered by the competition committee.