# Event Details - **Event Name**: The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones - **Event Start and End Date**: Mon, 19 Oct, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Mon, 19 Oct, 2026 at 07:30 pm (+01:00) - **Event Description**: A SSEES Rethinking Eastern Europe and Eurasia seminar with Stephen F. JonesAbout this EventWhy did the world’s first social democratic state emerge in Georgia, and what can its brief existence tell us about democracy, socialism, and national independence? This question will be at the heart of the event, which will feature a conversation with historian and political scientist Stephen Jones about his newly published book by the Harvard University Press, The First Social Democracy: The Democratic Republic of Georgia, 1918–1921. The book explores the remarkable political experiment of independent Georgia, where a democratic socialist government sought to combine parliamentary democracy, social reform and national independence in the turbulent aftermath of the Russian Empire.In conversation, Professor Jones will discuss how the Democratic Republic of Georgia was founded and how its leaders navigated geopolitical rivalries involving the Ottomans, the British, and the Germans, as well as territorial threats and internal ethnic conflicts. The discussion will also address the constitution of the world’s first social democratic state, its social and economic reforms, and its political pluralism. Finally, the event will reflect on why this short-lived republic remains significant for understanding Georgia’s modern political history and the broader history of democracy and socialism in the twentieth century.About the speakerStephen F. Jones is a historian and political scientist and combines both disciplines in his study of modern Georgia. He served as the founding director of the Georgian Studies Program at Harvard University and later chaired its Advisory Board. He has taught at SSEES, University College Oxford, University of California (Santa Cruz), Mount Holyoke College and is currently a professor of modern Georgian History at Ilia State University in Georgia. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science and honorary doctorates from Tbilisi State University and Ilia State University.His publications include Socialism in Georgian Colors: The European Road to Social Democracy, 1883–1917 (Harvard University Press, 2005), War and Revolution in the Caucasus: Georgia Ablaze (ed., Routledge, 2010), Georgia: A Political History Since Independence (I.B. Tauris, 2012), and The Birth of Modern Georgia: The First Georgian Republic and Its Successors, 1918–2010 (ed., Routledge, 2013). - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/london/the-first-social-democracy-a-conversation-with-stephen-jones/100001998480016527 - **Event Categories**: workshops, science-fair - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes - Location: Masaryk room - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: London - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: Masaryk room - **lat**: 51.52501789999999 - **long**: -0.131727 - **full address**: Masaryk room, 14-16 Taviton street, London, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/8d2ecae366e29e17a51848cc65c037233185963edb6344407a3f84bbe8457716-rimg-w1200-h675-dcd8d8d8-gmir.jpg?v=1787410845 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones being held? - **A:** The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones takes place on Mon, 19 Oct, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Mon, 19 Oct, 2026 at 07:30 pm at Masaryk room, 14-16 Taviton street, London, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones? - **A:** The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones is organized by UCL SSEES. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in London, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "The First Social Democracy: A Conversation with Stephen Jones", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/8d2ecae366e29e17a51848cc65c037233185963edb6344407a3f84bbe8457716-rimg-w1200-h675-dcd8d8d8-gmir.jpg?v=1787410845", "startDate": "2026-10-19T18:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2026-10-19T19:30:00+01:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/london/the-first-social-democracy-a-conversation-with-stephen-jones/100001998480016527", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Masaryk room", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "14-16 Taviton street", "postalCode": "WC1H 0BW", "addressLocality": "London", "addressRegion": "EN", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "51.52501789999999", "longitude": "-0.131727" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "A SSEES Rethinking Eastern Europe and Eurasia seminar with Stephen F. 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