Poetry · 2026
Decolonizing
the Self
Published in Poetry magazine’s “Broken Lines: A Gathering of Exiled Poets” →
01 — Story
A polyphonic life
Kakabadze writes and performs between languages and disciplines — Georgian polyphony in conversation with contemporary poetry, electronic music, political thought, and conflict transformation.
The author of five books and more than 50 published short stories, he developed Polyphonic Discourse, a multilingual, multi-narrative performance style, and Transformative Performance, a practice connecting the arts with facilitated dialogue and creative approaches to conflict.
He edited the bilingual literary and social-science magazine Peace Times from 2001 to 2004. His writing has appeared in Georgian, Russian, and English, and his performances have travelled from Tbilisi to New York, Miami, Frankfurt, London, Berlin, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Valencia.
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- Education
- Graduate of Philosophy at Tbilisi State University; M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.
- Public service
- Former Voice of America Georgian Service correspondent at the United Nations and South Caucasus peace-program coordinator.
- Art & change
- Co-founder of the Civic Disobedience Committee and Theater for Change; creator of Polyphonic Discourse and Transformative Performance.
- International work
- Writer-in-residence with City of Asylum Ithaca and PEN Català in Barcelona; visiting fellow and teacher at Cornell University.
- Published work
- Five books and more than 50 short stories published in Georgian, Russian, and English publications.
- Peace leadership
- Chair of the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation Georgia, connecting public advocacy, dialogue, and nonviolent social change.
“There is a chance always for peace.”
“Art can change reality.”
“We were colonized by our own dreams.”