Georgian Internally Displaced People: The Formation of a Social Identity

This book explores the construction of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) identity as a social group in Georgia, framed through Tajfel and Turner's Social Identity Theory. It examines the key factors shaping the identity of Georgian IDPs displaced by ethnic conflicts in two major migration waves (the early 1990s and 2008) from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Divided into two parts, the study first looks at the historical context of the ethnic conflicts and the state's responses to displacement. The second part focuses on the formation of IDP identity, analyzing how external definitions by the host community have perpetuated devaluation? throughout the post-Soviet period. It also highlights the self-perceptions, characteristics and tactics that have helped transform IDP identity from a devalued label to a more positive and resilient social identity.