Diasporic Identity in Russian Azerbaijanis
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Hacettepe University Institute of Social Sciences Department of International Relations DIASPORIC IDENTITY IN RUSSIAN AZERBAIJANIS Ümit Nazmi Hazır Master’s Thesis Ankara, 2016 DIASPORIC IDENTITY IN RUSSIAN AZERBAIJANIS Ümit Nazmi Hazır Hacettepe University Institute of Social Sciences Department of International Relations Master’s Thesis Ankara, 2016 i ÖZET Ümit Nazmi Hazır. Rusyalı Azerbaycanlıların Diaspora Kimliği,Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Ankara, 2016. Bu tez Rusya’daki Azerbaycan diasporasını ve diasporanın kimlik bileşenlerini analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Rusya’daki Azerbaycan diasporasının kimlik oluşumunu incelemek amacıyla birincisi, diaspora kavramına ilişkin farklı görüşler ve diasporanın kimlik, etnisite ve göç kavramlarıyla olan ilişkisi incelenmiştir. Rusya’daki Azerbaycan diasporasını analiz edebilmek için Sheffer’ın etnik-diaspora kavramı tezde kullanılmıştır. İkincisi, Kafkasya’ya dair tarihsel boyutlarıyla birlikte genel bir bakış sergilenmiştir. Üçüncü olarak, Azerbaycan’daki kimlik meselesi ve Azerbaycanlıların hem ulusal hem de diaspora kimliğinde etkili olan ideolojiler ortaya konulmuştur. Bununla birlikte, Azerbaycanlıların hem ulusal hem de diasporik kimliğinin şekillenmesinde çok önemli bir etkisi olması nedeniyle Karabağ Meselesi ve Hocalı Katliamının kimlik üzerindeki etkileri irdelenmiştir. Dördüncüsü, dünya üzerindeki Azerbaycan diasporası ve Azerbaycan Hükümetinin diaspora politikaları ortaya konulmuştur. Tezde, Moskova ve Saint Petersburg şehirlerinde Azerbaycanlı aydınlar ve diaspora temsilcileriyle yapılan yarı-yapılandırılmış mülakatlar temel alınmıştır. Rusya’daki Azerbaycanlı göçmenlerin ve diasporanın yapısı mülakatlar aracılığıyla tahlil edilmiştir. Özellikle 5. bölümde Rusya’daki diasporanın kimlik bileşenlerini ve diaspora Azerbaycanlıların bakış açısını kavramak için mülakatlardan faydalanılmıştır. Tezin ortaya koyduğu iddiaya göre, Rusya’daki Azerbaycanlıların diaspora kimliğinin bileşenleri Türkçülük, Avrasyacılık ve Azerbaycancılık ideolojilerinden oluşmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Diaspora, Kimlik, Azerbaycan, Rusya, Türkçülük, Azerbaycancılık, Avrasyacılık ii ABSTRACT Ümit Nazmi Hazır. Diasporic Identity in Russian Azerbaijanis, Master’s Thesis, Ankara, 2016. This thesis aims to analyzethe Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia and its components in the formation of the diasporic identity. In order to examine the identity formation of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia; firstly, various opinions on diaspora and the relation of diaspora with identity, ethnicity and migration are discussed. The ethno-national diaspora concept of Sheffer is also used in the thesis to analyze the Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia. Secondly, the general outlook of the Caucasus with historical dimensions is articulated. Thirdly, the identity issue in Azerbaijan as well as various ideologies which are effective in the formation of the national and the diasporic identity of Azerbaijanis is deeply exhibited. Besides that, the impacts of the Karabakh issue and the Khojaly Massacre on the identity are scrutinized due to being effective in the shaping of both national and diasporic identity of Azerbaijanis. Fourthly, Azerbaijani diaspora across the world and diaspora politics of the Azerbaijani government are displayed. The thesis is based on semi-structured interviews with the Azerbaijani intellectuals and representatives of the diaspora organizations in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. In this respect, the dynamics and structure of Azerbaijani migrations and the diaspora in Russia are examined through the interviews. The interviews are particularly used in the fifth chapter in order to understand the identity components of the diaspora and views of the diasporic Azerbaijanis in Russia. The thesis argues that the components of the diasporic identity in Russian Azerbaijanis consist of the ideologies of Turkism, Eurasianism as well as Azerbaijanism. Keywords: Diaspora, Identity, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkism, Azerbaijanism, Eurasianism iii TABLE OF CONTENTS KABUL VE ONAY……………………………………………………………………...i BİLDİRİM……………………………………………………………………………...ii ÖZET……………………………………………………………………………….......iii ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………iv TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………………………viii LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………...x INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………...1 I. METHODS AND AIMS OF THE STUDY…………………………………………...1 II. ORGANIZATION AND CONTENT OF THE STUDY…………………………….3 CHAPTER 1. DIASPORA AND IDENTITY………………………………………………………7 1.1 THE DEFINITION AND CONCEPT OF DIASPORA……………………..……...7 1.2 THE DIASPORA CONCEPT AND AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN RUSSIA….12 1.3 IDENTITY, ETHNICITY AND DIASPORA……………………………………..16 2. GENERAL OVERVIEWSOUTHERNCAUCASUS AND AZERBAIJAN…21 2.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE CAUCASUS…………………………………………21 2.2 THE SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES………………………………………25 2.2.1. Azerbaijan…………………………………………………………................25 2.2.2. Georgia……………………………………………………………………...28 2.2.3. Armenia……………………………………………………………………...32 iv 2.3 THE KARABAKH PROBLEM……………………………………………………36 2.4 RUSSIA’S SOUTHERN CAUCASUS POLICY………………………………….40 2.5 TURKEY’S SOUTHERN CAUCASUS POLICY………………………………...43 2.6 IRAN’S SOUTHERN CAUCASUS POLICY……………………………………..48 3. IDENTITY IN AZERBAIJAN…………………………………………………….50 3.1 TURKISM………………………………………………………………………….56 3.2 AZERBAIJANISM………………………………………………………………...61 3.3 ISLAMISM……………………………………………………………………….65 3.4 EURASIANISM…………………………………………………………………....68 4. AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN THE WORLD…………………………………74 4.1 AZERBAIJANI MIGRATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS IN THE WORLD BEFORE 1991………………………………………………………………………….74 4.2 AZERBAIJANI MIGRATIONS AFTER 1991……………………………………78 4.3 FORMATION PROCESS OF AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA AFTER 1991………80 4.4 NATIONAL IDENTITY AND AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA……………………87 4.5 THE EFFECT OF THE KARABAKH AND ARMENIAN ISSUES ON AZERBAIJANI DIASPORIC IDENTITY.....................................................................94 5. AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN RUSSIA……………………………………….98 5.1 THE HISTORY OF SETTLEMENT OF AZERBAIJANIS TO RUSSIA BEFORE 1991……………………………………………………………………………………98 5.2 AZERBAIJANI MIGRATIONS TO RUSSIA AFTER 1991…………………….103 5.3 FORMATION OF AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN RUSSIA…………………...112 5.4 PROBLEMS AND INFLUENCE OF AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN RUSSIA.117 v 5.5 IDENTITY PERCEPTION OF AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA IN RUSSIA……...124 CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………138 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………143 APPENDIX 1: INTERVIEW AND INTERVIEWEE DETAILS………………...171 APPENDIX 2: ORIGINALITY REPORT…………………………………………172 APPENDIX 3: ETHICS BOARD WAIVER FORM FOR THESIS WORK…….174 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ADR Azerbaijan Democratic Republic AIP Islamic Party of Azerbaijan AKP Justice and Development Party AMOR World Union of Azerbaijani Youth ASA Azerbaijan Society of America Azerbaijan SSR Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic AZERROS Federal National Cultural Autonomy of Azerbaijanis AZIS Azerbaijan-Israel International Association in Tel Aviv BTC Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan BTE Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum BTK Baku-Tbilisi-Kars CEA Congress of European Azeris CIS Commonwealth of Independent States CSCP Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform DAK World Azerbaijanis Congress EU European Union KGB Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NGO Non-governmental Organization NKAO Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe PFPA Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan vii RSDWP Russian Social Democratic Workers Party SCAALFC State Committee on Affairs with Azerbaijanis Living in Foreign Countries SCWD State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Work with the Diaspora TANAP Trans-Anatolia Natural Gas Pipeline TURKSOY Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries UK United Kingdom US United States USA United States of America USD United State Dollar USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics VAK All-Russia Azerbaijanis Congress viii LIST OF TABLES 1. The Official Number and Distribution of Azerbaijani Population in Russia……102 1 INTRODUCTION I.METHODS AND AIMS OF THE STUDY This study aims to contribute to literature on diaspora, identity and Eurasian studies. In this respect, the main aims of the study are firstly to analyze diaspora concept and its relations with identity, migration and ethnicity. Secondly, to scrutinize the identity issue and nationalism in Azerbaijan. Thirdly, to examine the South Caucasian countries and their relations with regional powers in the context of history and international relations. Fourthly, to interpret Azerbaijan’s both foreign and diaspora policy. Fifthly, to discuss the situation of Russian Azerbaijanis and their approaches to Azerbaijan, Russia, Caucasus and the Turkic world which formulate their diasporic identity. In this sense, this thesis meets sociology, political science and international relations as an interdisciplinary study. As a result of this, the thesis answersthe question “what are the identity components of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia?’’ The study is based on the field research including meetings with lots of Azerbaijanis bearing different background and social status in Moscow and Saint Petersburg cities of Russia between October 2014 and October 2015. In the light of the field research, it was participated to many organizations and events of Russian Azerbaijanis during this period.This field research made very significant contribution to the thesis. During this period, semi-structured interviews were made with 15 intellectuals and representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Moscow and Saint