Zwischen Europa, Turan und Orient : Raumkonzepte in der modernen aserbaidschanischen Geschichtsschreibung und Geschichtspolitik

Abstract

The Spatial Turn remains an important topic within the European and particularly German-speaking community of historians. These theoretical debates are not broadly used by historians in post-Soviet Azerbaijan. However, national historiography, which emerged at the turn of the 19th / 20th century, articulated its own special thought by creating the imagined spaces of Turan, Europe, and Orient. Azerbaijan itself was traditionally seen by the national historians as an area, where the Azerbaijani language and culture were widespread: e.g. the northern part of Iran was called “Southern Azerbaijan”. As result of their socialization, education and personal experience in Baku, some Azerbaijani historians depicted “Great Azerbaijan” within the Turkish-speaking historical area (concept of Turan). Other groups of historians and linguists involved in post-Soviet history-writing integrated Azerbaijani history into the history of the Middle East, emphasizing its close ties with the Muslim East (Şərq). Other groups of historians see Azerbaijan as a part of Eurasia by declaring the Caucasus an integral part of Europe, which also has strong bonds with Asia and Russia.