CRRC, ARISC and American Councils are pleased to announce the 1st session of the Fall 2025 Tbilisi Works-in-Progress series!
This week’s session will be ONLINE ONLY on Zoom.
“The Impact of Religious Intervention on Fertility Rates: A Synthetic Control Analysis of Patriarch Ilia II’s Influence in Georgia”
Alina Hordiienko, 180 Degrees Consulting
This study evaluates the impact of Patriarch Ilia II’s baptism initiative on fertility rates in Georgia using the Synthetic Control Method. The analysis examines the effectiveness of non-financial, culturally embedded pronatalist policies, as well as the importance of institutional trust and socio-cultural contexts in demographic interventions. The case provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to mitigate demographic declines through culturally sensitive approaches.
Alina Hordiienko is a recent Computer Science graduate from Minerva University, specialising in causal inference and machine learning. Her bachelor’s thesis, The Impact of Religious Intervention on Fertility Rates: Evaluating Patriarch Ilia II’s Influence in Georgia Using Synthetic Control, was presented at the 2025 British Society for Population Studies Conference. Alina has worked in industry and consulting, including roles at nPlan in London and 180 Degrees Consulting, where she currently serves as a Data and Insights Specialist. She gained research experience at the University of Buenos Aires, where she co-developed genetic data analysis tools now used in global efforts to locate missing persons. Alina has led independent projects in data visualisation and natural language processing and has an interest in applying data methods to social and demographic issues involving spatial analysis, fertility, and conflict.
Photo by patriarchate.ge
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Works-in-Progress is an ongoing academic discussion series based in Tbilisi, Georgia, that takes place at the CRRC office at Chavchavadze Ave. 5 and online. It is co-organized by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) Georgia, the American Councils for International Education, and the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC). All of the talks are free and open to the public.
In observation of the spirit of the Chatham House Rule, the talks will not be recorded, and we courteously request that the other participants refrain from recording and/or distributing recordings as well or citing anything expressed therein in the press without explicit permission. The opinions expressed in WiP talks are those of the speakers alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CRRC, ARISC or of American Councils.
