Abstract

The research conducted focuses on the ways in which memories of the Second Chechen War differ inter-generationally, as well as in varied locations within Georgia. Through an analysis of present literature on the collective memory debate, to interviews conducted with Chechens living in Tbilisi and Pankisi Gorge, the perceptions of the Russian state,their inherent connection to their Chechen roots, and their personal assimilation to Georgian culture are questioned to determine how the traumatic experience of war has shaped their current realities. Varying levels of participation and direct contact with war have played a significant role in defining the way in which Chechen youth in Georgia express themselves, and the ethnic Chechen majority of Pankisi Gorge has been determinate in the continuation of cultural and linguistic practices amongst refugee populations.