Kartvelology (Georgian Studies) – Self-aim or Necessity?

Abstract

The author's English summary from the article:

Kartvelology or Georgian Studies is a valuable measure of National identity. Even it is not associated with a high economical income (like some natural, economical or technology sciences) or commercial effectiveness, it is very important for a small country like Georgia irma ratiani to preserve its national identity, language, literature, history and culture. Katrvelology is a strong background of Georgian National values. Therefore, it has to be the strategy of Georgia’s State to take care of Georgian Studies, studies of National Language, literature and history. Undoubtedly, National researches, all over the world, guarantee the cultural dialogue as a main form of communication.

What place is defined for Georgia on the map of contemporary cultural world? What part it plays in the history of world civilization? What is the cultural code of Georgian? What does the cultural experience of a “Small nation” means in the context of a “Big nations” experience? How “National literature” does survive within the on-going process of Globalization? What does the formula “Literature without boarders” means and how it works in the context of comparative literature? To answer those questions is one of the main aims of Kartvelology. Though the goal of Georgian Studies is not only to preserve its national identity, but, also, to put Georgian science together with contemporary world researches and to integrate it in the world scientific dialogue.

But integration does not means to disappeared. Foe example: when we are talking about the literature, we should admit that literature (we do like it or we do not) has Nationality, because literature is always associated with tradition and memory and text, itself, is always about reconstruction. But nationality of literature does not mean or could not possibly mean the isolation or self-isolation. One of the basic methodologies of contemporary literary studies – comparative literature is gently regulating the process. Comparative studies imply the realization of that universal method which interprets the concrete literary text in wide general perspective, i.e.

goes beyond the boundaries of national characteristics and establishes the rate of integration of different national cultures and literatures on the condition to preserve their cultural identity. The same process is available in other fields of Katrvelology and the basic function of Georgian Studies is to regulate this valuable process on a high scientific level. Though ,Kartvelology is not a self- aim, but – necessity, which must be replaced under the Governmental care.

Published in the journal Sjani, vol. 9 (2008), pp. 9–10. Open the paper