Bridging Divided Communities through the “Chosen Traumas” of the Wars: A Nation-Building Project in de facto Abkhazia
By: Ketevan Epadze

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jnmlp-2025-0008 | Journal eISSN: 2570-5857
Language: English
Published on: Jun 23, 2026
Published by: Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
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© 2026 Ketevan Epadze, published by Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences
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