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Urban transformation in the postsocialist Global East was heavily determined by the mass privatization of state assets and by a dramatic increase in car ownership. Tbilisi, Georgia, has experienced these significant changes. The upsurge in private vehicle ownership was brought about by failing public transit, ineffective planning, suspended vehicle quality control and greater individualism. The problem has been exacerbated on two fronts in Tbilisi: new buildings built since the 1990s are now consuming former open spaces, while more people seek parking for their cars in the few crowded remaining areas leading to competition for parking space. Households of residential buildings are devising strategies for guarding nearby areas suitable for parking, while non-driving residents are at a loss to use these formerly open spaces for other purposes. Barriers are installed by the car-owning residents of apartment blocks to impose the primary function of parking to shared residential courtyards, an understudied communal space, turning them into part of the city's automobility system. The article relies on data from in-depth interviews with city officials and residents of affected areas, policy documents and field observations from the districts of Tbilisi most affected by such change. It argues that the changes started with the privatization of urban space and followed by an increase in the dominance of the automobile in Tbilisi have led to the rapid modification and deterioration of collective areas of multistory apartment blocks and created factors that are transforming courtyards from leisure space into the part of Tbilisi's automobility system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the ten-line cable car network of Tbilisi, Georgia, constructed by the Soviet government between 1953 to 1988, then decommissioned in the 1990s after independence and partially reactivated since 2012. During the Soviet era, Tbilisi's cable cars played an important role in the city's mass mobility, particularly in areas of steep geography. They also functioned ideologically, supporting Soviet ambitions toward public transportation and access to recreational space for the working proletariat. We argue that today's aerial network reflects new state ideological goals where cable cars lure global capital and facilitate the tourism commodification of Tbilisi's historic Old City. Tbilisi's cable car network can, therefore, be understood as embodying changes in government stances toward labor, leisure, and the direction of future development, while further reflecting the mobility politics of the city. The article describes the various ideological shifts that took place, exploring how Tbilisi's cable car network now links to contemporary changes in government urban development priorities and tourism promotion. The findings are based on interviews, document analysis, transit ridership/City Hall data, as well as field observations that collectively provide an overview of Tbilisi's cable car network as it has transformed since the 1950s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Georgia: From Autocracy to Democracy" is a collection of works edited by Stephen F. Jones and Neil MacFarlane that provides insights into Georgia's transformation from autocracy to democracy since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The book features contributions from a diverse group of scholars and practitioners, discussing topics such as Georgia's historical and spatial context, institutional and political transformations, and its relations with the international system. While the book offers valuable discussions, some contributions lack theoretical framing and read more like analytical reports. It is a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in Georgia's recent history. However, some of the content may feel outdated due to rapid changes in Georgia and globally, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent political developments. [Extracted from the article]