Sign in

Laurence Broers

@laurencebroers.bsky.social
2.1K followers 526 following 311 posts

Researcher and practitioner, contemporary South Caucasus | associate fellow, Chatham House | co-editor-in-chief, Caucasus Survey

PostsRepliesMedia
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-armenia... My forthcoming book now has a dedicated webpage! This gives some indication of what to expect from the second edition of Armenia and Azerbaijan: Anatomy of a Rivalry Revisited, both an update and expansion of the original volume. Cover coming soon!
edinburghuniversitypress.com
Armenia and Azerbaijan
Armenia and Azerbaijan
033
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
iphronline.org/articles/rus... New report from IPHR & HCA Vanadzor on Russian interference in Armenia's June 2026 election, documenting "a sustained Russian interference campaign combining economic and diplomatic pressure, covert information manipulation, and ... financial inducements & coercion..."
iphronline.org
New Report — RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN ARMENIA’S 2026 ELECTIONS: A Post-election Examination - IPHR
IPHR and The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office are publishing their new report, RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN ARMENIA’S 2026 ELECTIONS: A Post-election Examination, examining the methods, actors, ...
032
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
For historians of Azerbaijan: this is a fascinating case study of push and pull between centre and periphery under the reforming conditions of Nikita Khrushchev's Soviet Union, focused on the rise and fall of the Ministry of Communal Economy in the Azerbaijani SSR.
011
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This is a tremendous study of how the discourse of autochthony was taken up by Armenian political entrepreneurs in the era of self-determination after WW1, by Diana Yayloyan. Recommended.
002
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Armenian-Azerbaijani debates have been roiling for two weeks following an incident on an Azerbaijani tour of cultural heritage sites in Karabakh. What happened and what does it tell us about the state of the peace process?
192
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Crushed by the loss of Richard Giragosian, an anchor of the policy-facing space in Armenia and tireless advocate of normalization with the country’s neighbours, who died unexpectedly in Istanbul on Saturday. Rest in peace, my friend.
173
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
www.aup-online.com/content/jour... Caucasia is a new journal, publishing twice a year with the University of Amsterdam, and dedicated to the pre-modern history of wider Caucasia region, from 650 to 1800.
aup-online.com
Caucasia | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
Caucasia: Journal of Premodern History of the Caucasus is an open-access peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the study of the Caucasus in its historical and cultural diversity. Its primary aim is to pr...
023
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Heritage Watch @caucasushw.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
BREAKING: CHW has documented the destruction of Shusha's Old Armenian-Russian Cemetery from May 9-14, 2026. Full investigation: tinyurl.com/z5bmpaek The cemetery contained medieval Armenian khachkars and 19th century Armenian and Russian tombstones spanning 1810-1871. 🧵 1/5
143
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
This looks to be a fascinating conference recovering the contingencies in the formation of territorial units in the early years of the Soviet Union, taking place Tbilisi in February 2027. Submission deadline: 20 October.
000
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
A fascinating study by Toghrul Abbasov challenging a widely held view of Azerbaijani nationalism as simply reacting to Armenian nationalism in the 1980s, and showing how Azerbaijani nation-building combined with new forms of mass popular culture in the post-Stalin era.
042
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
www.amnesty.be/veux-agir/ag... Amnesty International Belgium has opened a new petition / campaign for young intellectual Bahruz Samadov, imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
amnesty.be
En Azerbaïdjan, Bahruz Samadov est en prison pour avoir défendu la paix
Depuis la prison d’Umbaki, Bahruz Samadov nous écrit : “Je lance aujourd’hui un appel à tous ceux qui défendent la dignité humaine : ne me (…)
012
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Eye on Transcaucasia @scaucasus.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
The increased explosions in Azerbaijan have highlighted the difficulties of demining. #cknot #Azerbaijan
dlvr.it
The increased explosions in Azerbaijan have highlighted the difficulties of demining.
The return of people to the territories over which Azerbaijan has regained control, and the associated activation of agricultural work, have become one of the reasons for the increase in the number of mine incidents.
012
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published open access in Caucasus Survey, 'Reunification Viability in Divided Nations: a Conceptual Causal Model and the Case of Divided Azerbaijan' by Vahid Garuslu
brill.com
011
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
css.ethz.ch/content/dam/... The latest edition of the always excellent Caucasus Analytical Digest addresses shifting politics and civic agency in Georgia, edited by Mariam Bibilashvili
css.ethz.ch
021
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
www.azatutyun.am/a/33821078.h... More worrying politically connoted sackings in Armenia’s higher education sector - relatives of opposition MPs are being fired as Armenia’s newly elected parliament convenes.
azatutyun.am
Yerevan State University Continues ‘Political’ Sackings
Armenia’s leading university has fired one of its most renowned law professors, the latest in a series of sackings of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s critics or their relatives working in the public ...
042
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · 29/07/2026
An Azerbaijani court has sentenced nine journalists, media workers, and civil society activists to between 12 and 15 years in prison. It's the harshest verdict since the government began its ongoing crackdown on independent journalism.
hrw.org
Azerbaijan Jails Prominent TV Journalists, Media Workers
An Azerbaijani court on July 27 sentenced nine journalists, media workers, and civil society activists to between 12 and 15 years in prison.
210167
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... An interesting new article by Alan Kuperman looking at Russia's experience in Mountainous Karabakh as a case of failed 'muscular mediation'
tandfonline.com
Russia’s failed “muscular mediation” in Nagorno-Karabakh
From 2015 to 2023, Russia engaged in coercive diplomacy seeking to avert and then truncate war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. This article explores if the rece...
010
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: 'Writing Unity in a Time of Crisis: Glasnost and the Discourse of ‘Friendship of Peoples’ in Grakan Adrbejan', by Heghine Barseghyan
brill.com
011
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Enhorabuena, España! Gracias por enseñarnos como ganar y como ganar con gracia ❤️🇪🇸❤️
021
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emsh... Mood #engarg
youtube.com
The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony (Opus) [zhd bittersweet super extended edit][vmix/remix]
YouTube video by zhd
000
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: Contested Narratives: Azerbaijani Intellectual Discourse and the Collapse of Soviet Internationalism, 1987–89, by Nazrin Gadimova-Akbulut
brill.com
001
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: From Cultural Preservation to Transnational Mobilization: the Caucasus Forum and the Circassian Diaspora in Turkey, by Dijan Özkurt #Circassia
brill.com
001
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: Competing Connectivity Strategies in the South Caucasus: Discourse-Based Insights into Armenia’s Strategic Dilemma, by Maria Ohanyan
brill.com
001
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
My book manuscript is now handed in! 2.5 years of work for a deep, wide-ranging revision of my 2019 volume Anatomy of a Rivalry are over… grateful to all those who read and commented on it 🙏🏻 I am exhausted but looking forward to new horizons, new themes and new collaborations!
141
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Conciliation Resources @crbuildpeace.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Hello Bluesky! We are joining the conversation. For over 30 years, we have worked alongside people in conflict to build sustainable peace. Follow us for updates on our global peacebuilding work, policy & practice insights, and ways to get involved. Looking forward to being part of this community.
151
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Cesare Figari Barberis @cesarebarberis.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Reminder to submit your abstract/panel to the #ASIAC 2026 conference on #Central #Asia and the #Caucasus! 14-16 December, in beautiful Università Ca' Foscari, Venice 🙂 Disciplines can vary from linguistics to politics, from anthropology to history and more Link: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
012
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
www.redthreads.media/p/armenias-w... I found this reading of the Armenian election to be highly instructive - a recommended counter-perspective to all the geopolitics.
redthreads.media
Armenia’s Working Class Is Missing from Election Coverage
Armenia's elections are framed as a geopolitical contest, but the real fault line is class. The ruling party's resilience reflects the legacies of postsocialist transition and the absence of a left.
032
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
A few follow-up thoughts on Armenia's election. Armenian democracy has passed another stress-test and voters were able to decide on the basis of a competitive vote, which is not a given, and the high turnout (59%) reveals an engaged Armenian public.
141
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
caucasuswatch.de/en/interview... I spoke to Luka Okropirashvili at Caucasus Watch about the forthcoming Armenian election this Sunday. My thanks to Luka for engaging questions and the opportunity for a deeper dive.
caucasuswatch.de
Dr. Laurence Broers: Armenia Will Be Living with Strategic Ambiguity for Some Time
041
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
caucasuswatch.de/en/interview... I spoke to Luka Okropirashvili at Caucasus Watch about the forthcoming Armenian election this Sunday. My thanks to Luka for his engaging questions and the opportunity for a deeper dive on this pivotal election.
caucasuswatch.de
021
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Joshua Kucera @joshuakucera.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Armenia’s election is scheduled for Sunday, and issues of war and peace have been at the top of the campaign agendas. Candidates have debated dueling visions of Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, and the West. Our preview from @crisisgroup.org: www.crisisgroup.org/qna/europe/a...
crisisgroup.org
Issues of War and Peace Gain Top Billing in Armenia’s Election | International Crisis Group
Armenians will head to the polls on 7 June for the country’s first general election since 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Joshua Kucera explains why foreign policy has dominated the campaign an...
138
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Chatham House Russia and Eurasia Programme @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
We’re hiring an intern! @cheurope.bsky.social and @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social at Chatham House are offering a joint 6-month paid internship starting from 8 September 2026. ⌛Apply by 10 June: careers.chathamhouse.org/jobs/7816531...
careers.chathamhouse.org
Molchanov Sustainability Internship 2026-2027 - Chatham House
The Molchanov Sustainability Internship at Chatham House provides early-career professionals opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and networks in a world-renowned think tank.
041
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Happening tomorrow - our @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social webinar on Armenia's election taking place this Sunday.
032
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
www.chathamhouse.org/2026/05/arme... My latest, on Armenia's forthcoming election on 7 June.
chathamhouse.org
Armenia’s election: Voters to decide on Pashinyan’s peace agenda
Armenians face a febrile campaign but feel the benefits of improved security since hostilities with Azerbaijan ended.
051
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: Ethnic Violence or Imperial Crisis? Reinterpreting the 1905 ‘Armenian-Tatar’ Clashes, by Anahit Kartashyan
brill.com
011
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Chatham House Russia and Eurasia Programme @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Webinar | Armenia's pivotal election: What is at stake? | 3 June, 2pm BST 🔹 Sona Ayvazyan (@anticorruption.bsky.social) 🔹 Dr. Anna Ohanyan (Stonehill College) 🔹 Mikayel Zolyan (former MP) 🔹 @laurencebroers.bsky.social (@chathamhouse.org) Details & registration www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/s...
051
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/s... Join us at @chrussiaeurasia.bsky.social for a webinar on 3 June, 14-1500 BST, on Armenia's forthcoming election. Please register in the link.
chathamhouse.org
Armenia's pivotal election: What is at stake?
Experts examine the tensions facing Armenian democracy, the election’s importance for the peace process with Azerbaijan, and the role of external actors, including Russia and the West.
031
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: Luka Bedoshvili examines the Georgian gaze on Abkhazia through a detailed reading of Anna Dziapshipa’s documentary film Self-Portrait Along the Borderline (2023).
brill.com
031
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: Grazvydas Jasutis and Henry Wathen examine transformations in the Chechen social institution of blood feud (ch’ir), drawing on interviews conducted in Chechnya and Pankisi in 2015-16.
brill.com
021
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Delighted to have been granted a Christopher R. Mitchell Visiting Practitioner Fellowship @ Centre for Peacemaking Practice @ Carter School, George Mason University. I will be there for 4 weeks in November, reflecting on epistemologies of the South Caucasus & scholar-practitioner hybridity!
040
Reposted by Laurence Broers
H-Soz-Kult @hsozkult.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
CFP: Confronting Musical Diversity in Western and Central Eurasian Empires during the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries www.hsozkult.de/event/id/event-1618… Tbilisi, 24.09.2026-25.09.2026, Jonas Löffler, Max Weber Netzwerk Osteuropa, Bewerbungsschluss: 15.05.2026 Confronting …
hsozkult.de
063
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published in Caucasus Survey: 'Under the Eye of the Cheka: Germany, Soviet Georgia, and the Struggle for Recognition, 1921–22', by Giorgi Astamadze, examines the fate of the German diplomatic mission in Tbilisi after the Bolshevik occupation in February 1921.
brill.com
031
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... This article maps my experience of “social” media precisely, except that I still see a purpose to remaining on this particular platform (perhaps because it is *not* algorithmically driven?)
theguardian.com
Social media was once a great global conversation. Now it’s just individuals locked into their own private worlds | Tom Whyman
I met the mother of my children on Twitter – and made lasting friendships. But now social media isn’t so social, says academic philosopher and writer Tom Whyman
230
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/cerees/2026/... Happening next week: On Thursday, 16 April, I'll be speaking at my alma mater, Queen Mary College of the University of London, on the knowledge frameworks through which the South Caucasus has been approached and interpreted since 1991. Details in link.
projects.history.qmul.ac.uk
CEREES Lecture – Centre for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies
052
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
brill.com/view/journal... [new article, paywalled] 'Solidarity on the Authoritarian Periphery: Power, Mistrust, and Social Mobilisation in Pandemic Dagestan', by Aneta Strzemżalska
brill.com
001
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
brill.com/view/journal... [new article, paywalled] 'Ephemeral Diversity: Georgia’s Small Peripheral City Akhaltsikhe as a Changing Religioscape', by Rusudan Beridze
brill.com
001
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published book review: Diego Benning Wang reviews "The Caucasus Emirate: Ideology, Identity, and Insurgency in Russia’s North Caucasus", written by Mark Youngman
brill.com
021
Reposted by Laurence Broers
Caucasus Survey @caucasussurvey.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
brill.com/view/journal... Recently published book review: Valentine Moghadam reviews "The Armenian Woman, Minoritarian Agency, and the Making of Iranian Modernity 1860–1979", written by Houri Berberian and Talinn Grigor
brill.com
001
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/screening-... On 22 April Rena Effendi will be showing + discussing her new film, Searching for Satyrus, documenting her quest for a rare butterfly named for her lepidopterist father that exclusively inhabits the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderland. Tickets available in the link.
eventbrite.co.uk
Screening + Q&A: Searching for Satyrus
A woman’s quest to reconnect with her late father through a butterfly that becomes an unexpected guide into his past.
000
Laurence Broers @laurencebroers.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/cerees/2026/... If you are in London on 16 April, I'll be giving a talk about the epistemic politics of the South Caucasus at my alma mater, Queen Mary University, 6-8pm. There will be a small reception afterwards. Hope to see you there!
projects.history.qmul.ac.uk
CEREES Lecture – Centre for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies
021