Abstract
Georgian Azeri-Turks are a people in-between—in between the nation-building policies of the Georgian and Azerbaijani states, caught in the crosshairs of either state’s official narratives concerning the historical boundaries of the ‘homeland’, and ‘in-between’ in a literal sense due to their concentration in the border region of Kvemo Kartli. This study examines the dynamics of identity formation among the Georgian Azeri-Turks of Kvemo Kartli and endeavours to answer the following question: Are individuals’ responses pertaining to both inter- and intra-group membership indicative of a collective identity? While many participants in this study share markers of a so-called ‘traditional’ Azerbaijani identity, most of the same individuals associate their pasts, presents, and futures with the territorial state of Georgia—not with Azerbaijan. Attachment to Georgian territories is a powerful component of a collective identity among survey participants that differentiates this identity from that which is officially propagated in neighbouring Azerbaijan.
Published Version
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