Difference between revisions of "Blat (Caucasus)"

In Soviet Armenia, the term ''blat'' was used primarily by Russian-speaking residents of the capital city Yerevan. In post-communist times, ‘using ''blat''’ can refer to a plethora of informal practices ranging from gift-giving to preferential treatment in formal institutions<ref>Babajanian, Babken V. 2008. ‘Social capital and community participation in post-Soviet Armenia: Implications for policy and practice’, Europe-Asia Studies, 60(8): 1299-1319.</ref>. More commonly, however, the term ''blat'' is employed under various circumstances to describe the use of personal connections. Similarly, ''blat'' in Azerbaijan occurs mainly in urban contexts and is mentioned mostly by residents of the capital city Baku<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2015a. ‘Informal Networks as Sources of Human (In)Security in the South Caucasus’, Global Change, Peace & Security, 27(2): 1-16.</ref>. Both ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Azeri residents of Baku use the term ''blat'' to denote favour-based informal relationships<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2013. ‘Post-Communist Informal Networking: Blat in the South Caucasus’, Demokratizatsiya: Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 21(1): 98-111.</ref>. Whereas residents of other major urban centres (Ganja, Sheki, etc.) are vaguely familiar with the term, ''blat'' is unknown to individuals originating from rural settlements. In contrast to Azeri ''[[taps]]'', which functions primarily in urban areas and is used to access formal institutions and widely employed in the search for jobs, ''blat'' exists not as a practice but as an umbrella concept with a connotation of personal influence and strength of one’s networks. To have '''blat''' means to have a well-developed system of personal networks, which can assist individuals in day-to-day life. Each of these contacts in a ''blat'' network may be used to obtain more specific ''[[taps]]''-favours. In other words, unlike more abstract networking-centred use of the term ''blat'', ''[[taps]]'' refers to the actual process of favour-provision. Research conducted by the author in several of Baku’s suburbs in 2013-14, revealed that references to blat are waning with the steady decline in numbers of Russian-speakers.

In Soviet Armenia, the term ''blat'' was used primarily by Russian-speaking residents of the capital city Yerevan. In post-communist times, ‘using ''blat''’ can refer to a plethora of informal practices ranging from gift-giving to preferential treatment in formal institutions<ref>Babajanian, Babken V. 2008. ‘Social capital and community participation in post-Soviet Armenia: Implications for policy and practice’, Europe-Asia Studies, 60(8): 1299-1319.</ref>. More commonly, however, the term ''blat'' is employed under various circumstances to describe the use of personal connections. Similarly, ''blat'' in Azerbaijan occurs mainly in urban contexts and is mentioned mostly by residents of the capital city Baku<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2015a. ‘Informal Networks as Sources of Human (In)Security in the South Caucasus’, Global Change, Peace & Security, 27(2): 1-16.</ref>. Both ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Azeri residents of Baku use the term ''blat'' to denote favour-based informal relationships<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2013. ‘Post-Communist Informal Networking: Blat in the South Caucasus’, Demokratizatsiya: Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 21(1): 98-111.</ref>. Whereas residents of other major urban centres (Ganja, Sheki, etc.) are vaguely familiar with the term, ''blat'' is unknown to individuals originating from rural settlements. In contrast to Azeri ''[[taps]]'', which functions primarily in urban areas and is used to access formal institutions and widely employed in the search for jobs, ''blat'' exists not as a practice but as an umbrella concept with a connotation of personal influence and strength of one’s networks. To have '''blat''' means to have a well-developed system of personal networks, which can assist individuals in day-to-day life. Each of these contacts in a ''blat'' network may be used to obtain more specific ''[[taps]]''-favours. In other words, unlike more abstract networking-centred use of the term ''blat'', ''[[taps]]'' refers to the actual process of favour-provision. Research conducted by the author in several of Baku’s suburbs in 2013-14, revealed that references to blat are waning with the steady decline in numbers of Russian-speakers.

[[File:Baku Akhmedli district.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Photograph of Baku Akhmedi district, taken by Huseyn Alivev.]]

[[File:Baku Akhmedli district.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Photograph of Baku Akhmedi district, taken by Huseyn Alivev.]]

Secondly, ''blat'' in the South Caucasus is more similar to ''blat''-practices in Central Asia<ref>Schatz, Edward. 2004. Modern Clan Politics and Beyond: The Power of ‘Blood’ in Kazakhstan. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. </ref> than to ''blat'' in Russia<ref>Ledeneva, Alena. 1998. Russia's economy of favours: Blat, networking and informal exchange. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</ref> and Ukraine<ref>Onoshchenko, O. and Williams C. 2013. ‘Paying for favours: evaluating the role of blat in post-Soviet Ukraine’, Debatte: Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe 21(2-3): 259-277</ref>, inasmuch as it is less grounded in reciprocation or exchange of favours. Analogous to Asian informal practices and driven by norms indigenous to the South Caucasus, ''blat''-favours are used not only among equals, but to an even greater extent among people of different social standing. For example, receiving a favour ‘''po blatu''’ in Baku often means acquiring preferential access to particular services or public goods from an influential person, or a person who has a lot of blat-connections<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2015b. Post-Communist Civil Society and the Soviet Legacy. The Challenges of Democratisation and Reform in the Caucasus. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.</ref>. Such a service is often, although not always, offered without an expectation of a reciprocal favour. Informants in Georgia associate blat with status and consider it a symbol of one’s position in society. Similar to providing hospitality, offering blat favours is honourable and widely respected.

Secondly, ''blat'' in the South Caucasus is more similar to ''blat''-practices in Central Asia<ref>Schatz, Edward. 2004. Modern Clan Politics and Beyond: The Power of ‘Blood’ in Kazakhstan. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. </ref> than to ''blat'' in Russia<ref>Ledeneva, Alena. 1998. Russia's economy of favours: Blat, networking and informal exchange. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</ref> and Ukraine<ref>Onoshchenko, O. and Williams C. 2013. ‘Paying for favours: evaluating the role of blat in post-Soviet Ukraine’, Debatte: Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe 21(2-3): 259-277</ref>, inasmuch as it is less grounded in reciprocation or exchange of favours. Analogous to Asian informal practices and driven by norms indigenous to the South Caucasus, ''blat''-favours are used not only among equals, but to an even greater extent among people of different social standing. For example, receiving a favour ‘''po blatu''’ in Baku often means acquiring preferential access to particular services or public goods from an influential person, or a person who has a lot of blat-connections<ref>Aliyev, Huseyn. 2015b. Post-Communist Civil Society and the Soviet Legacy. The Challenges of Democratisation and Reform in the Caucasus. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.</ref>. Such a service is often, although not always, offered without an expectation of a reciprocal favour. Informants in Georgia associate blat with status and consider it a symbol of one’s position in society. Similar to providing hospitality, offering blat favours is honourable and widely respected.

Overall, it may be concluded that ''blat'' is closely associated with the Soviet past; with shortages and other defects of the Soviet system. Yet, the growing gap in the South Caucasus between the older Soviet and the younger post-socialist generations, in conjunction with national self-awareness, has led to a steady extinction of the term ''blat'' from local languages and popular use. Informal practices previously known as ''blat'' have gradually become absorbed into indigenous practices.

Overall, it may be concluded that ''blat'' is closely associated with the Soviet past; with shortages and other defects of the Soviet system. Yet, the growing gap in the South Caucasus between the older Soviet and the younger post-socialist generations, in conjunction with national self-awareness, has led to a steady extinction of the term ''blat'' from local languages and popular use. Informal practices previously known as ''blat'' have gradually become absorbed into indigenous practices.