Shota Bekadze is a scholar specializing in the political and historical dynamics of Central Asia and the post-Soviet space. Born in Georgia in 1986, he is a descendant of a forcibly displaced family, deported from southern Georgia to Central Asia on November 14, 1944, during Stalin’s oppressive Soviet regime. His family is among the few who successfully repatriated to Georgia.
Bekadze earned his bachelor’s degree from the International Black Sea University (IBSU) in Georgia with full governmental funding. In 2015, he completed his master's degree in political science at Ankara University in Turkey. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he has been awarded a five-year full recruitment fellowship. He also serves as an Associate Instructor.
His research focuses on migration, identity formation, and authoritarian governance, particularly examining the impact of Soviet-era policies on displaced communities. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary political developments, shedding light on the enduring legacies of Soviet rule and their influence on present-day societies.
