Abstract
In this article, based on the analysis of data from a comprehensive sociological study, the features of the memory policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan were identified in comparison with similar ones in other “post-Soviet” Caspian republics in the context of constructing new national identities. It was concluded that the memory policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the “core” of which is the concept of “trauma”, plays an important role in constructing the country’s new national identity. In this case, trauma is represented by a whole complex of memory markers combined with ideas about the genesis of Azerbaijanis’ own national identity in the confrontation with the Armenian people (deportation, wars). These events left a deep mark on the collective memory of the Azerbaijani people, especially due to mass losses, forced displacement, and destruction. The state actively uses the memory of traumatic events to strengthen national identity, to unite the society and to mobilize the nation around the idea of restoring territorial integrity.
References
Abdullaev, Ya. S. O., Lobanov, V. B., & Mikhaylov, V. V. (2018). Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in the Fight for the Preservation of Territorial Integrity in 1918-1920-ies. Modern Scientific Thought, (6), 81-88. (In Russian).
Aghayan, N. (2021). Creating an “Enemy Image” as a Propaganda Trick in Information War. Vestnik of the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, 2(38), 32-40. https://doi.org/10.48200/1829-0450_2021_2_32 (In Russian).
Alexander, J. (2013). Meanings of Social Life: Kultursociology. Praxis Publ. (In Russian).
Aliev, R. T. (2024). From Kimono to Big Mac: An Analysis of Russian Internet Queries as a Reflection of Stereotypes Forming Images of the Other. Journal of Frontier Studies, 9(1), 165–186. https://doi.org/10.46539/jfs.v9i1.577 (In Russian).
Aliev, R. T., & Yakushenkova, O. S. (2022). A Comparativistic Analysis of the Transformation of Alimentary Aspect of the Other’s Image: 2018-2022. Journal of Frontier Studies, 7(3), 283–303. https://doi.org/10.46539/jfs.v7i3.436 (In Russian).
Anikin, D. A. & Golovashina, O. V. (2017). Trauma to cultural memory: conceptual analysis and methodological bases of research. Tomsk State University Journal, 425, 78-84. (In Russian).
Assmann, A. (2016). A new dissatisfaction with memorial culture. Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie Publ. (In Russian).
Badiou, A. (2002). A secret catastrophe. The end of state truth. Sociologos (almanac): Almanac of the Russian-French Center of Sociology and Philosophy of the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Москва-Санкт-Петербург, 269-289. (In Russian).
Bahramov, J. (2022). The Crime of Armenian Fascism Against the Azerbaijani People Based on Historical Facts. International Scientific Journal: the Caucasus and the World, 24, 79-95. https://doi.org/10.52340/isj.2022.24.16
Bartłomiej, К. (2021). The Instrumentalization of Cultural Memory as the Factor in Armenian-Azerbaijani Rivalry over the Nagorno Karabakh. Studia Wschodnioeuropejskie, 14, 32-45. https://doi.org/10.31971/24500267.14.3
Bayramzadeh, S.Z.O., & Kazımı, P.F.O. (2020). Ethnogenesis of Minor Peoples or the Search for Eternal History. American Scientific Journal, 42(2), 4-10. https://doi.org/10.31618/ESU.2413-9335.2020.5.79.1063
Begunova, E. A. (2019). Some Aspects of Comparative Analysis of the Concepts “Cultural Memory” and “Historical Memory” in Foreign and Domestic Humanities. Bulletin of Kemerovo State University of Culture and Art, 48, 50-55. (In Russian).
Blood Memory. https://president.az/ru/pages/view/azerbaijan/memories (In Russian).
Bourdieu, P. (2007). Sociology of social space. Institute of Experimental Sociology. (In Russian).
Budrytė, D. (2022). Collective Memory in International Relations. Perspectives on Politics, 20(1), 370‑372. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592721003315
Denison, M. (2009). The Art of the Impossible: Political Symbolism, and the Creation of National Identity and Collective Memory in Post-Soviet Turkmenistan. Europe-Asia Studies, 61, 1167-1187. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668130903068715
Emelyanova, N.N. (2020). Politics of Memory and Trauma to Collective Memory Under Securitization Conditions, Voprosy Filosofii, 7, 30-34. https://doi.org/10.21146/0042-8744-2020-7-30-34 (In Russian).
Eyerman, К. (2016). Cultural trauma and collective memory. New Literary Review, 5, 42-54. (In Russian).
Galiev, A. A. (2018). History and traumas of the past in the memory politics of Central Asian states. In Historical memory: traumas of the past, contradictions of the present, prospects for the future Collection of articles on the results of the All-Russian scientific conference (pp. 29-34). “Nauka” Press. (In Russian).
Garagozov, R. (2006). Collective Memory in Ethnopolitical Conflicts: the Case of Nagorno-Karabakh. Central Asia and the Caucasus, 5(41), 145-155.
Garagozov, R. (2012). Azerbaijani History and Nationalism in the Soviet and post-Soviet Periods: Challenges and Dilemmas. Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict, 5, 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/17467586.2012.743030
Golovashina, O.V. (2018). Trauma studies: problem statement and general characteristic of the temporal approach to trauma research. In Historical memory: traumas of the past, contradictions of the present, prospects for the future (pp. 44-48). “Nauka” Press. (In Russian).
Hambardzumyan, N. (2023). The Politics of Memory as a Tool of Azerbaijan’s Ethno-Political Strategy and Its Propaganda Manifestations in the Media. Scientific Artsakh, 1(16), 89-99. https://doi.org/10.52063/25792652-2023.1.16-89
Hasanov, A. (2018). Stages of Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide Against the Azerbaijanis. London: MMC Publishing House.
Huseynova, L. (2022). The Issue of Genocide and Deportation of Azerbaijanis in the Focus of the State (1993- 2003). Colloquium-Journal, 14(137), 14-16.
Jay, M. (2003). Refractions of Violence. London: Routledge, 225 р.
Karagezov, R. (2009) Collective memory and national identity in the era of globalization (on the material of empirical study of young people in Azerbaijan). Caucasus & Globalization, 3(1), 113-124. (In Russian).
Karimli, I. (2023). Western Azerbaijan Community Announces Concept for Return of Azerbaijanis Deported from Modern-day Armenia. https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/western-azerbaijan-community-announces-concept-for-return-of-azerbaijanis-deported-from-modern-day-armenia-2023-1-27-25
Khan, A. (2020). Revisiting the Conflict Between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Indian Journal of Politics, 54(1-2), 1-20.
Levashov, V. K. (Ed.). (2023). Russian society and state in the context of global multipolarity. Socio-political situation of Russia in 2022: [Monograph]. Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation. https://doi.org/10.19181/monogr.978-5-89697-409-3.2023 (In Russian).
Mammadova, S. (2024). Remembering Lived Past: History and Memory in Post-Stalin Azerbaijan. Journal of Contemporary History, 59(1), 185‑201. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220094231209239
Mammadova, S. & Məmmədova, S. (2023). Deconstructing Narratives of Pain: Speaking and Writing National History in Modern Azerbaijan. https://bakuresearchinstitute.org/en/deconstructing-narratives-of-pain-speaking-and-writing-national-history-in-modern-azerbaijan/?print=pdf
Melelashvili, N. (2008). On the comprehension of the past and the role of memory politics in the formation of conflict identities (on the example of Nagorno-Karabakh). Scientific Journal Power and Society (History, Theory, Practice), 3-2, 213-224. (In Russian).
Melnikov, M. V. (2023). Nationalization and Privatization of the Collective Memory of Cultural Trauma: Socio-Philosophical Aspects of the Study. Tomsk State University Journal, (72), 122-130. (In Russian).
Nagorno-Karabakh: Life after the war։ BBC documentary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_iywHNb0-g&t=10s (In Russian).
Nora, Р. (2002). Gedächtniskonjunktur [Memory boom]. Transit, 22, 18-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/02602280210697087 (In German).
Papazian, H. (2023). Turkey and ‘Turks’ in Postwar Armenia: Anxieties, Meanings, and Politics After the 2020 Karabakh War. Formerly Global Review of Ethnopolitics, 23(3), 317-338. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449057.2023.2176587
Paskaleva, E. & Berg, G. (2023). Memory and Commemoration across Central Asia. Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004540996_002
Plotnikov, D. S. (2018). Changes in “Politics Of Memory” of the Post-Soviet Russia’s Allies After 2014. Bulletin of Perm University. Political Science, 1, 92-107. (In Russian).
Radnitz, S. (2019). Reinterpreting the Enemy: Geopolitical Beliefs and the Attribution of Blame in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. Political Geography, 70, 64-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2019.01.009
Ragozina, T. E. (2017). Cultural Memory Versus Historical Memory. Science. Art. Culture, 3, 12-21. (In Russian).
Representatives of foreign media and diplomatic corps visited Karabakh. CBC TV Azerbaijan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ajCvL5y04 (In Russian).
Romanova, A. P., & Morozova, E. V. (2023). Construction of New Identities in Modern Kazakhstan: Trends and Reference Рoints. World Eсonomy and International Relations, 67, 7, 85-102. https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2023-67-7-85-102 (In Russian).
Romanova, A.P., & Chernichkin, D.A. (2024). Turkey and Pan-Turkism Influence on the Development of New National Identities in the Caspian Region: The Evidence from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. RUDN Journal of Political Science, 26, 1, 181-206. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1438-2024-26-1-181-206 (In Russian).
Romanova, A.P., & Fedorova, M.M. (2023a). Memory Policy and the Construction of New Identities in the Greater Caspian Countries: The Cases of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Comparative Politics Russia, 14(3), 65-86. https://doi.org/10.46272/2221-3279-2023-3-14-60-78 (In Russian).
Romanova, A.P., & Fedorova, M.M. (2023b). Between the Soviet Past and National History: to the Issue of a New Kazakh Identity. Istoriya, 14, (12-2). https://doi.org/10.18254/S207987840029775-1 (In Russian).
Semenenko, I.S. (Ed.). (2017). Identity: Personality, Society, Politics: Encyclopedic Edition. Ves Mir Publ. (In Russian).
Semenenko, I.S. (Ed.). (2023). Identity: personality, society, politics. New contours of the research field. Ves Mir Publ. (In Russian).
Shafiyev, F., Huseynov, S., Valiyev, E., Hasanli, E., Hasanov, D., Khalilov, P., Baghirova, S. & Sultanli, H. (2024). Return of Azerbaijani Refugees to Armenia: Analysis of deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia and Policy Proposals for the Return of Azerbaijani Refugees. Baku: Center of Analysis of International Relations, 29 р. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18978.85442
Shnirelman, V.A. (2003). Memory wars: myths, identity and politics in Transcaucasia. Academkniga Publ. (In Russian).
Shukurov, K. (2010). Great Tragedy: Deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia. Visions of Azerbaijan. http://www.visions.az/en/news/233/19b4cf06
Sztompka, P. (2001). Cultural trauma in post-communist society. Second Article. Sociological Studies, 2, 3-12. (In Russian).
The Geoctepean Battle and the Indian Syndrome. https://www.hronikatm.com/2015/01/geoktepinskaya-bitva-i-indiyskiy-sindrom/ (In Russian).
Todorova, М. & Gille, Z. (2012). Post-Communist Nostalgia. Oxford: Berghahn Books.
Tokayev spoke about the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression - what it means for Kazakhstan. https://bizmedia.kz/2023-05-31-tokaev-vyskazalsya-o-dne-pamyati-zhertv-politrepressij-chto-on-znachit-dlya-kazahstana/ (In Russian).
Valeriy Ghazaryan: Was there deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia during the Soviet years? https://regnum.ru/news/1657402 (In Russian).
Victory parade in Baku: display of trophies, elite special units and new weapons of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSBE66cCY6I (In Russian).
Yavuz, M. H., & Gunter, M. M. (2023). The Karabakh Conflict Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Causes & Consequences. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16262-6_2
Zayats, P.V., & Zinchenko Ya.G. (2024). Politics of memory as a determining factor in the processes of remodeling national identity in the post-Soviet space (using the example of the Republic of Azerbaijan). State and Municipal Management. Scholar Notes, 2, 234-239. https://doi.org/10.22394/2079-1690-2024-1-2-234-239 (In Russian).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.