Which podcasts about Caucasus do I listen regularly? Which ones I recommend and why? Additionally, how and where to look for interesting podcasts about this region? This is what I will cover today in the Caucasus podcast.
The question I often get from you is: Which podcasts do you listen to? So let’s start with the following note. There are very few podcasts which focus only or mainly on the Caucasus. The majority of those are in English of course. Thre are few in Georgian I listen to, but I assume for most of you this is a bit useless information. Because they are in Georgian. However if you’re interested in such a recommendation list as well, let me know!
Today what we’ll cover are 3 podcasts in English which are really worth adding to your playlist, just next to our podcast of course! Each of them shows the region from slightly different perspectives. However it was not on purpose, just a coincidence I liked podcasts like this. Hope it will make the list even more interesting for you!
Where can I learn more about Georgian history?
If you ask yourself this quite often, the podcast for you will be The history of Saqartvelo Georgia. You can learn there the Georgian history from the antient times. Therefore if you have never listened to this podcast, I do recommend to start with the first episode. The podcast host walks you through the geography of the region, its myths, Mesolitic era, Bronze age via antient times to early Christianity and further. What I value in this podcast for is the host really bass it on scientific sources and keeping the podcast interesting.
Where can I find information on present situation on Caucasus?
As far as being up to date with the political and socio-economic situation is concerned, I listen to the Caucasus digest, being produced by Open Caucasus Media. This is not just a simple summary of what happened recently. There are invited guests to the majority of the episodes who provide their comments on the crucial news from the present week. There are two reasons why I recommend this podcast. Frist of all, it does not concentrate only on the South Caucasus, but also gives us a glance on what’s going on on the North Caucasus. That’s quite unique and hard to find. Secondly, the invited experts are mainly of Caucasian origin. Therefore, what you get is the regional perspective from someone who was born and raised there.
Which scientific research is being held on the Caucasus?
That was something what was making me a bit sad. Not only there are really few researches being held focusing on the Caucasus, but also even fewer are being known outside the academic world bubble. That’s one of the reasons I love to invite to my podcast the researchers and talk and promote their fantastic work. If you conduct such a research and want more people to know about it, send me a message!
Ok, let’s come back to the main part – the podcasts I recommend. Contrary to the two previously mentioned this one is not very regular, albeit covers the topics hard to find anywhere else. I am talking about Across The Caucasus podcast, published by the Institute for Caucasus Studies in Jena, Germany. By the way I’m under the impression that this is one of the most vigorously developing academic centers as far as the Caucasus studies are concerned. In the moment I prepare this episode, there are only 6 episodes of „Across the Caucasus”. Nevertheless, each of them is ultra-interesting and covers different topic. For example, the food in Ajara, Osetian language or Left wing politics in the region. Each of those is an opportunity to take a look at what the researchers focus on currently and acquaint yourself with the topics almost impossible to find in the books.
Where to look for podcasts about the Caucasus?
In the last section of today’s episode I will reveal my methods of how to find new podcasts about Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan or North Caucasus. Usually once a month I start my podcast hunt 😉. I type the key words in my Spotify app (where I normally listen podcasts to). As a result I can find both, podcasts fully dedicated to Caucasus or the ones which have only few episodes on it. I have not figured out a mor automated way. From time to time I get some recommendations from my friends. However your way is better – listen to the Caucasus podcast and I will share with you what my findings are. Exactly how it happens in today’s episode.
So there were my 3 favourite podcasts about the Caucasus. At present, I test and listen to 2 additional ones and observe how they will look like in future. Maybe in some time we’ll update the list.Who knows? What are your favourite podcasts?
Let us know in comments what were your thoughts! Additionally, if you like our series, you can let us know by liking it or following us. We are on Facebook and Instagram. If you liked this episode, you may also share it with your friends. It will help us a lot in connecting with other fans of the region.