International Relations

Session II

Zachary Zavelsky, "Azerbaijani Pogroms: How They’ve Shaped Modern Day Perceptions of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict"

In 1988, during the last years of the Soviet Union, an ethnic conflict between Armenians and Azeris erupted over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to pogroms against Armenians living in Azerbaijan. This triggered an almost complete emigration of Armenians, the fourth-most-populous ethnic group in Azerbaijan. The event this study focuses on is the largest of these pogroms, which occurred between January 13th and 19th, 1990, in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. The study examines how the experiences of Armenians exiled from Azerbaijan during the 1988-1990 pogroms affect their modern-day perceptions of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict. To answer this, Azerbaijani-born Armenians will be interviewed about their experiences during that time to better understand how this ethnically similar yet culturally divergent subgroup differs from the larger Armenian population in the context of renewed Armenian-Azerbaijani peace efforts and Armenia’s efforts to distance itself from Russia.

Student Major(s): History and Philosophy Major

Advisor: Dr. Daniel Maliniak