Description
It has been long acknowledged that understanding militarisation requires looking beyond battlefield and military organisations. Zooming onto Georgia, this paper argues that everyday militarisation dynamics in the Georgian context evolve in relation to the country's national defence needs and regional security concerns. Rather than focusing on defense policy, the paper explores how the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been woven into the existing war imaginaries of Georgian society rooted in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Building on the literature on everyday militarisation, this paper looks into the role of voluntary defence organisations that provide free basic military trainings to civilians. The two most prominent organisations in Georgia, “Aisi” and “General Giorgi Mazniashvili Youth Legion” declare themselves as independent voluntary apolitical organisations. While their establishment precedes the war in Ukraine, 2022 Russia’s full-scale invasion provided an impetus for their revamped popularity, attracting individuals of various ages, sex, occupations, and ethnic backgrounds. While both groups aim to contribute to the overall national defence preparedness and promote the military profession, they cooperate with however remain autonomous from the state institutions. Activities are funded through donations and partnerships with small enterprises.
Through interviews, this research studies the ideas that bound the individuals behind voluntary defence organisations. Applying the concept of militarisation to the Georgian case reveals the complexity of the factors where the notions of the individual and collective effervescence coalesce. Banal militarism embedded in everyday life is met with the state’s effort to harness societal patriotism into the resource for national defence preparedness. Similar voluntary defense organisations have gained momentum in other countries, particularly the Baltic States and Poland, emphasising the transnational nature of militarisation practices. Providing situated knowledge on militarisation in Georgia can provide insights into a larger phenomenon which can also potentially elucidate how related ideas and practices transcend national borders.
