The Caucasus in The Context of Geopolitics and Interethnic Processes: Historical and Cultural Development and The Problem of Identity (Using the Example of Azerbaijan)

Abstract

This article is devoted to the historical and cultural development of the Caucasus in the context of its geopolitical position and complex interethnic processes. Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the Caucasus has been subjected to external invasions for centuries, which has left a deep mark on the historical memory of the peoples of the region and influenced their national identity, cultural values, and social relations. Particular attention is paid to the North Caucasus as part of the Russian Empire, and later the USSR and the Russian Federation. It is emphasized that the policies of the imperial and Soviet centers, including Russification, assimilation, deportations, and suppression of national movements, contributed to the accumulation of interethnic contradictions, which intensified during the collapse of the USSR and resulted in numerous conflicts, including the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The article analyzes the problem of identity in a multiethnic space, the role of culture as the basis of national self-awareness and resistance to assimilation. It notes that stereotypes and xenophobic myths have exacerbated tensions between the peoples of the Caucasus and Russia. The research also pays special attention to Azerbaijan as an example of a historically established multicultural and multiconfessional society. It highlights its civilizational uniqueness, shaped by the influence of the Great Silk Road and Islamic culture. Despite Soviet unification policies, Azerbaijan managed to preserve its ethnocultural diversity and, after gaining independence, chose a strategy of preserving national identity and developing multiculturalism as a state policy.