From July 6 to 11, students of the Bachelor’s Program in Diplomacy and International Relations at Caucasus School of Governance defended their theses before a committee composed of the School’s academic staff: Eka Akobia-Dean and Affiliated Professor-Giorgi Tskhadaia, Affiliated Professor-Davit Bakradze, Affiliated Professor-Rati Tvalavadze, Assistant Professor-Giorgi Muchaidze, Associate Professor-Grigol Julukhidze, Associate Professor-Givi Amiranashvili, Affiliated Associate Professor and Nana Pirtskhelani, Affiliated Associate Professor.

Bachelor’s Program in Diplomacy and International Relations

The following theses were presented:

• Aleksandre Bochorishvili – The Energy Landscape of the South Caucasus in the Twenty-First Century: The Changing Energy Diplomacy of Azerbaijan and Türkiye and Its Impact on Georgia’s Energy Transit Role;
• Tatia Ushikishvili – Decarbonization as a Redistribution of Power: The Role of French Energy Diplomacy in Shaping the European Energy Order from 2022 to 2025;
• Davit Kartvelishvili – The Malacca Dilemma and China’s Energy Security Strategy: Reducing Maritime Vulnerability Through Overland Pipelines;
• Giorgi Adeishvili – From Oil Producer to Green Hub: Saudi Arabia’s Energy Transformation and Adaptation to Shifts in Global Power;
• Ketevan Gvarliani – Energy Interdependence or Strategic Vulnerability? An Analysis of the Nord Stream Case from the Perspectives of Neorealism and Neoliberal Institutionalism;
• Gvantsa Gogoladze – Global Climate Policy as an Instrument of Geopolitical Influence: A Comparative Analysis of the European Union, China, and the United States;
• Barbare Rukhadze – Environmental Security in the Black Sea Region in the Context of Global Green Policy: Challenges and Opportunities;
• Nata Bolkvadze – Russia’s Military Involvement in Africa’s Sahel Region: The Role of the Wagner Group and Its Impact on Regional Stability and Security;
• Lizi Zubiashvili – Greenland as a Priority Area of United States National Security Policy;
• Lizi Gocheleishvili – The Regional Interests of the Republic of Türkiye in the Middle East;
• Ana Gogichaishvili – The Cuban Missile Crisis as a Test of Diplomatic Negotiation and the Balance of Power;
• Saba Berandze – United States–China Strategic Rivalry in the Pacific Region Over the Past Decade;
• Sandro Katsadze – Russia’s Use of Sharp Power in Latin America: Its Impact on Regional Security and International Alliances, 2014–2024;
• Mikheil Lagvilava – Russia’s Strategic Response to Moldova’s European Integration Process, 2010–2025: Disinformation and Political Pressure as Instruments of Foreign Policy;
• Giorgi Todidze – The Role of Disinformation in Contemporary International Conflicts: An Analysis of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War;
• Konstantine Tetunashvili – South America in an Era of Great-Power Competition: United States and Chinese Engagement in the Region;
• Nini Pichkhaia – The Instrumentalization of Migration as a New Mechanism of Hybrid Warfare: An Analysis of the Belarusian Case;
• Tako Gvelesiani – Chinese Propaganda Concerning Taiwan’s Sovereignty;
• Lizi Gordulava – Iranian Propaganda and Disinformation During the Lebanese Civil War, 1979–1990: Legitimizing the “Emergence” of Hezbollah in the International Arena;
• Giga Bikashvili – The Transformation of the Euro-Atlantic Security System Since 2001: Terrorism as a Major Challenge;
• Emili Baidashvili – Energy Policy in the Context of Geopolitical Power: Russia’s Influence on Europe and Georgia;
• Mariam Sikharulidze – Strategic Rivalry Between the United States and China in Southeast Asia: The Case of the South China Sea;
• Nino Elkanishvili – Strategic Autonomy in French Foreign Policy: Macron’s Vision in the Context of Challenges Facing NATO and the European Union, 2017–2024;
• Sopo Topchishvili – China’s “Green Paradox”: Climate Policy as a Geopolitical Instrument for Expanding China’s Global Influence;
• Daviti Ghavtadze – India’s Deepening Cooperation with Russia and Its Negative Impact on Relations with the United States as a Counterbalance to China;
• Lika Tabuashvili – The Taiwan Issue in United States–China Strategic Competition: The Redistribution of Power and the Regional Security Dilemma;
• Lika Kakheli – China’s Information Operations Against AUKUS in the Context of Strategic Rivalry with the United States;
• Sandro Bukhrashvili – China’s Information Operations in the South China Sea Region;
• Lizi Oniani – The Role of Non-State Actors in Hybrid Warfare: Hamas and the Iran–Israel Confrontation;
• Lizi Tolordava – The Role of Information Operations in the Russia–Ukraine War;
• Ana Javakhishvili – Russian Cyber Operations Against the United States in the Context of Strategic Rivalry;
• Longinoz Chaganava – The Use of Hybrid Threats by Small States to Gain Strategic Advantage: The Case of Finland;
• Alika Orbeliani – Türkiye’s Foreign Policy in the South Caucasus Following the 2020 Second Karabakh War;
• Elene Gelashvili – The Globalization of Universal Human Rights: The Impact of Human Rights on Iran’s Foreign Relations;
• Ana Tsalkalamanidze – The Syrian Conflict and International Intervention, 2011–2024: Balance of Power, Proxy War, and the Crisis of Negotiations;
• Mariam Gigauri – Power Politics in the Middle East: The Syrian Conflict as an Arena of Competing Geopolitical Interests;
• Salome Robakidze – The Iran–Israel Confrontation and Regional Security;
• Lizi Modebadze – The Paradox of the Iraq War: The Causes of Regional Destabilization Following the 2003 United States Intervention in Iraq;
• Davit Meskhishvili – The Transformation of United States Strategic Policy Toward the Countries of the South Caucasus Under the Administrations of Joseph Biden and Donald Trump;
• Anastasia Gudadze – Assessing the Significance and Effectiveness of the Responsibility to Protect in the Contemporary International System;
• Nini Tqabladze – An Analysis of the Development of Defense Capabilities by Japan and South Korea Alongside United States Security Guarantees;
• Salome Kvaratskhelia – Russia’s Soft-Power and Hybrid-Influence Strategies in the Post-Soviet Space;
• Teimuraz Ioramashvili – Factors Limiting NATO Enlargement in the Post-Soviet Space: An Analysis of Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova;
• Giorgi Kochlashvili – Factors Shaping the Strategic Choices of Great Powers—the United States, Russia, and the European Union—in the South Caucasus: The Case of Georgia;
• Goga Gogitidze – Hybrid Warfare as a Factor in the Transformation of Traditional Mechanisms of State Power: The Case of Ukraine;
• Davit Tatarashvili – The Significance of Foreign-Sponsored Coups and Regime Change in Contemporary International Relations: The Example of United States Foreign Policy Actions;
• Davit Bakradze – A Critique of the Neorealist Interpretation of the Russia–Ukraine Conflict;
• Luka Beridze – The Strategy of Appeasing Russia: The Intensification of the Kremlin’s Aggressive Policies Amid a Restrained Western Response;
• Nika Chkhatarashvili – When Regional and Great Powers Abandon Their Allies: The Case of the Karabakh War;
• Lizi Tatishvili – The Use of Migration by States as a Coercive Instrument of Foreign Policy;
• Jemal Uzunalovi – The Recognition of Genocides by International Actors: Determining Factors;
• Giorgi Chkheidze – Factors Influencing the Decision of Small and Middle Powers to Acquire Nuclear Weapons;
• Anna Bakuradze – The Orthodox Factor in Russia’s Soft Power: The Georgian Church as an Arena of Political Influence;
• Ana Chutlashvili – Russia’s Full-Scale Aggression Against Ukraine in 2022 and the European Union’s Enlargement Policy: The Cases of Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova;
• Giga Turdzeladze – Explaining NATO’s Transition from Deterrence to Forward Defense;
• Ani Edilashvili – Explaining the Growth of United States Diplomatic Engagement in the Armenia–Azerbaijan Conflict, 2022–2025;
• Luka Papaskiri – The Selectivity of the United States Democracy-Promotion Strategy in Latin America, 2016–2024;
• Davit Jarmelishvili – The Economic Security of Small States Under Conditions of Global Interdependence;
• Barbare Macharashvili – Small States in the Contemporary International System: Economic Security Strategies;
• Zurab Kardava – Revisiting Gorbachev’s Legacy: Post-Soviet Revanchism in Russian Foreign Policy.