DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2706-6185/46/294-298
Sevda Akhundova
Azerbaijan State Pedagogical College
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9192-2307
sevda.app@gmail.com
Deportations in Western Azerbaijan in the 20th Century and their
Social Consequences
Abstract
Throughout the 20th century, Western Azerbaijan (present-day Armenia) was transformed into a monoethnic state as a result of a systematic policy of deportation and ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis. This process was not merely the outcome of spontaneous ethnic conflicts but was directly implemented as one of the strategic objectives of Armenia’s political leadership. Historical facts, official documents, and academic research indicate that, at various periods, Azerbaijanis were subjected to forced displacements, legal restrictions, and socio-economic pressures aimed at altering Armenia’s demographic structure. This article analyzes the political and social aspects of the deportation waves of the 20th century to contextualize the formation of Armenia’s monoethnic demographic composition. The study focuses on key historical events, including the Armenian-Muslim conflicts of 1905-1906, the mass massacres of Azerbaijanis in 1918-1920, the Soviet-era deportations resulting from Stalinist repressions (1948-1953), and, finally, the last phase of ethnic cleansing carried out by Armenia from 1988 to 1991, which aimed to completely expel Azerbaijanis from the country. Additionally, the article explores the ideological foundations of monoethnic state-building and examines the role of nationalist-chauvinist ideology in this process
Keywords: Western Azerbaijan, forced displacements, deportation of Azerbaijanis, socio-economic pressure, mass massacres, monoethnic cleansing policy, nationalist ideology