Report News ›› Caucasus

Story Behind the Story

 

The Story Behind the Story gives an insight into the work that goes into IWPR articles and the challenges faced by our trainees at every stage of the editorial process.

This feature allows our journalists to explain where they get the inspiration for their articles, why the subjects matter to them, and how they personally have felt affected by the often controversial issues they explore.

It also shows the difficulties writers can face as they try to get to the heart of a story.

Georgian Sailors Brave Piracy, Bureaucracy
16 Sep 11

A year has passed since 15 Georgian sailors were captured in Somalia, and while the Georgian and foreign media occasionally report on the subject, they mention only details, without describing the full picture of what makes our sailors take the risks they do.

Batumi is a major port on the Black Sea but many Georgian sailors venture much further onto the high seas. (Photo: Giorgi Kupatadze)
Armenian-Azeri Dispute Shifts to European Court
28 Jul 11

Armenian journalists are used to writing about the Nagorny Karabakh war, but no amount of experience prepared me for meeting Arthur Badalyan.

Grave Corruption in Armenian Capital
8 Jul 11

A few months ago, a friend of mine told me how he had to bribe an official to secure a burial site for a relative. I was so shocked that I began to investigate. As it turned out, such experiences were frequent; many Armenians seem to have gone through the same thing.

Azerbaijan: Sunni Groups Viewed With Suspicion
5 May 11

I had stopped believing in God by 2007, when I started researching Azerbaijan’s Salafi community.

Armenian-Azerbaijani Water Politics
21 Oct 10

Working on stories about water in and around Nagorny Karabakh proved an education in itself for me as IWPR’s Caucasus editor.

Armenian Gays Face Intolerance, Discrimination
1 Sep 10

When I was commissioned to write an article about Armenia’s gay community, I did not anticipate the problems I would face finding people to talk to. It took me a month to arrange the meetings I needed, each of them laboriously set up via a mutual friend.

Azeri Human Traffickers Target Vulnerable Women
20 Aug 10

After an IWPR article about domestic violence (New Law to Tackle Domestic Assault in Azerbaijan), I attended a round- table discussion on the issue. It was a rare chance to discuss this taboo subject, and among the themes were the problems of those in the highest-risk group: prostitutes.

Georgians Finally Topple Stalin
11 Aug 10

My only brother is called Koba.

This happens to be one of the nicknames of the Soviet dictator Joseph Djugashvili, better known as Stalin, the most famous son of my home country of Georgia.

Dust Fear in Georgian Port Town
9 Mar 10

My investigation into the pollution of my home town with aluminium oxide started in earnest last November.

Azeri Transexuals Face Social Stigma
26 Jan 10

The idea to write about transsexuals came to me first in 2003, when a friend mentioned that a sex change operation was going to take place in Azerbaijan. The rumour turned out to be false, but it intrigued me and I began to research the subject.