Networks in the Southern Caucasus Forms and Functions of Informal Practices

The people of the Southern Caucasus have to rely on informal networks in order to manage everyday life. The origins of these networks lie in traditional forms of social organization, such as extended families and rural communities. In the Soviet Union, informal networks served to offset the structural deficits of the planned economy. They guaranteed access to products in short supply and services. The introduction of the market economy did not render these networks obsolete. On the contrary: In politics, economics, and society, they have gained even greater significance.