BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Dr. David Sichinava lectures at Carleton University’s Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS). He also serves as Research Director at the Caucasus Research Resource Centre (CRRC-Georgia), a Tbilisi-based think tank. Dr. Sichinava’s research focuses on elections and public opinion, housing and urban development in Eurasia, and geographies of conflict and displacement.

LIST OF DEGREES

PhD in Human Geography, summa cum laude, 2015. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Dissertation: ”Spatial Aspects of Electoral Behavior in Georgia (Based on 2008-2014 Elections)”

Advisor: Dr. Giorgi Gogsadze

Canadian equivalency outcome: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree from a recognized university (assessed by the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, application No. X398927)

MA in Human Geography, with honors, 2010. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

BA in Social Sciences (specialization: Human Geography), 2008. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

BROAD RESEARCH INTERESTS/AREAS OF FOCUS

Geographical area of focus: post-Soviet Eurasia.

Substantive research interests: Politics of urban development, elections, geographies of conflict and displacement.

Methodological areas of focus: public opinion polling, causal inference, automated text analysis, geographic information systems (GIS)

TEACHING AT CARLETON:

• EURR4202A/EURR5202S/PSCI5915A: Urban Transformations in Post-Soviet Eurasia (Summer 2021 and 2022)
• EURR 2002A: Europe and Russia in the World (Fall 2021)
• EURR 4209A/PSCI 4504A: Politics of the Caucasus and the Caspian Basin (Winter 2022)

HONOURS AND AWARDS:

• SSHRC Connections grant: ”Displacement in Wartime: Routes and Destinations, Space, Place and Pluralism: Russia’s Invasion, Ukrainian Actions and Consequences for Europe and Eurasia” (co-investigator, 2022)
• Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany: ”Green Mobilisations in the cities of Central Asia and the South Caucasus,” funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (co-applicant, 2019)
• The Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia: ”Examining the Social Impacts of Large, Private Sector Urban Development in Batumi and Tbilisi, Georgia.” (principal investigator, 2019)
• Association of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) Regional Scholar Travel Grant, 2018

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES

Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D. (2021). Architecture and Friendship Among Nations: The Shifting Politics of Cultural Diplomacy in Tbilisi, Georgia. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27 (12). Taylor & Francis, 1213-1229.

Sichinava, D. (2017). Cleavages, Electoral Geography, and the Territorialization of Political Parties in the Republic of Georgia. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 58 (6). 670-690.

Salukvadze, J., Sichinava, D., & Gogishvili, D. (2015). Socio-economic and Spatial Factors of Alienation and Segregation of Internally Displaced Persons in the Cities of Georgia. Spatial Inequality and Cohesion: Studia Regionalia, 38, 45–60.

Chkhaidze, V., Gogsadze, G., Salukvadze, J., & Sichinava, D. (2008). General Characteristics and Regional Patterns of Electoral Behavior: 2008 Presidential Elections in Georgia. Region and Regionalism, 9(2), 65–78.

REFEREED BOOK CHAPTERS

Harris-Brandts, S., & Sichinava, D. (2021). The Politics of Urban Recovery in a Soviet-era Resort Town: Heritage Tourism and Displaced Communities in Tskaltubo, Georgia. In Al-Harithy, H. (Ed.) Urban Recovery: Intersecting Displacement with Post War Reconstruction. 271-294. London: Routledge.

Sichinava, D. (2021). A View of the Pandemic from the City of Balconies. In Eastern Block Stories: Visualizing Large Housing Estates from Post-Socialist Cities. 134-140. Berlin, Germany: Dom Publishers.

Rekhviashvili, L., Sichinava, D., & Berikishvili, E. (2020). Urban Protest Movements in Tbilisi: Movements are Strong, but Big Capital is Stronger. In Dariyeva, T., & Neugebauer, C.S. (Eds.), Urban Activism in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. 35-52. Berlin, Germany: DOM Publishers.

Sichinava, D. (2020). Elections, Political Parties, and Social Change in Georgia (2003-2016). In Jones, S.F., & MacFarlane, N. (Eds.), Georgia: From Autocracy to Democracy. 145-169. UToronto Press.

Sichinava, D. (2020). Cleavages, Electoral Geography, and the Territorialization of Political Parties in the Republic of Georgia. In O’Loughlin, J. & Clem, R. S. (Eds.), Political Geographies of the Post- Soviet Union. 670-690. London, New York: Routledge.

Salukvadze, J. & Sichinava, D. (2019). Changing Times, Persistent Inequalities? Patterns of Housing Infrastructure Development in the South Caucasus. In Tuvikene, T., Neugebauer, C. S. & Sgibnev, W. (Eds.), Post-Socialist Urban Infrastructures. 72-88. London, New York: Routledge.

Berikishvili, E., & Sichinava, D. (2018). Transformation of Urban Protests in Tbilisi: From Spontaneous Activism to Social Movements. In Neuburg, K., Pranz, S., Tseretelli, W., et al. (Eds.), Tbilisi: Archive of Transition. 177-194. Niggli Verlag Publishers. Salenstein, Switzerland.

Sichinava, D. (2015). Cleavage Theory and the Electoral Geographies of Georgia. In Nodia, G. & C. Stefes (Eds.), Security, Democracy and Development in the Southern Caucasus and the Black Sea Region, Interdisciplinary Studies on Central and Eastern Europe, Vol. 14, 27-44. Bern: Peter Lang.

SELECT NON-REFEREED CONTRIBUTIONS

Kakhishvili, L., Keshelava, D., Papava, G. & D. Sichinava. (2021). Georgia’s Political Landscape: Diversity, Convergence and Empty Spots. Tbilisi: Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.

Sichinava, D. (2021). Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward the European Union in Georgia Tbilisi: Europe Foundation.

Sichinava, D. (2020). How Far is Too Far? Public Opinion on Conflict Resolution in Georgia.

Caucasus Analytical Digest, 116.

Sichinava, D. (2018). Attitudes Towards Georgia’s Foreign Policy Choices in Times of Uncertainty

Caucasus Analytical Digest, 102.

Sichinava, D. (2017, October 18). Will an Independent Mayoral Candidate Bring Political Change to Georgia? New Eastern Europe.

Gilbreath, D., & Sichinava, D. (2017, April 10). Georgia: Proposed Reform Could Tilt Electoral Field Toward Incumbents. Eurasianet.

Gilbreath, D., & Sichinava, D. (2016, October 6). Georgia is Voting This Saturday. Here Are 7 Things You Should Know. Washington Post’s Monkey Cage blog.

Gilbreath, D., & Sichinava, D. (2015). NGOs and the Georgian Public: Why Communication Matters. Caucasus Analytical Digest, 73.

Sichinava, D. (2013). The 2012 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia and Changing Attitudes toward Russia. Caucasus Analytical Digest, 48.

Sichinava, D. (2012). Shades of Red and Blue – Regional Characteristics of Georgia’s 2012 Parliamentary Elections. Caucasus Analytical Digest, 43.