Our podcast about Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan is undergoing some changes – The Caucasus podcast is changing of the better. I didn’t know if it would be an interesting topic for you, but our newsletter community decided it would.
The Caucasus podcast you can listen to also in main podcasting platforms, including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The Caucasus Podcast was the idea to talk about the Caucasus based on fact not opinions and without stereotypes (as much as possible). But that takes time, so we’re giving up. Okay, just kidding.
Although the Caucasus podcast is changing.
So how the Caucasus Podcast is changing in the near future?
We’ll be deliberately avoiding commentary on current political events in the podcast for many reasons. We can discuss this privately over coffee, perhaps, but you won’t find a sensational approach here. As a political scientist specializing in the Caucasus by profession, I’ll tell you that if you truly want to know and understand what’s happening, you need to rely on local sources, not just those in English or Russian.
That’s why language skills are so important. If you’ve been with us for a while, you know my approach. If not, I strongly believe it’s impossible to truly understand and talk about this region not knowing the languages.
There will probably be few typical tourist topics, and I don’t plan many interviews or guests. Plus, the format will change slightly. If you watch The Caucasus Podcast on YouTube, you’ll already see that there’s no video, only audio, and it’ll stay that way for a while. If you listen to me on a podcast app, it probably won’t matter, and for me, it saves at least an hour of preparation time. And for you, this means there either will be a podcast, or there won’t be one.
Okay, so what will it be then?
There will definitely be more language and language-related topics. We get many questions from our students and future students about learning, methods, approaches, and how to actually learn Georgian, Armenian or Azerbaijani. And I’ll be talking about that too.
As the Caucasus podcast is changing there will definitely be literature and films, various historical and social fun facts and stories that we find interesting so you may as well.
Back to the name itself – The Caucasus Podcast – was created for the ones who want to dive into the Caucasus, understand Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia better and more deeply. And you already know my opinion – it’s impossible to do this without the language and cultural knowledge.
For the last six months, I’ve been learning from Georgian literature textbooks for primary school. This is precisely to discover the cultural codes that are hidden from outsiders. And let me tell you, my understanding of the language itself has improved by several points, as has the deeper meaning hidden behind the words. I even understand Georgian politicians better (meaning why they say something not just what they say) and how their words impact society. That’s why I’m a living and breathing example of what’s possible and what brings results when learning the languages from the Caucasus.
If these aren’t your topics, I understand. Thanks for spending some time with us and we had an good run. And if you want to check out what’s happening from September, remember to follow us in your podcast app. And even better, subscribe to our newsletter, “The Caucasian Mail”—the link is in the description. Then, every week, you’ll receive a quick, 5-minute revision method from me, proven in all our languages: Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani. Proven, because I’m one of the few people in the world learning all three.
Want to know more? Listen to other episodes of the Caucasus podcast