The enigma of Nagorno-Karabakh: a ‘hierarchised amoebic composite’ with Armenia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Based on a comprehensive examination of Nagorno-Karabakh’s critical junctures within Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, this article introduces the concept of the “hierarchized amoebic composite” framework. This model surpasses traditional paradigms of state sovereignty and territorial disputes by revealing the dynamic and contingent relationships within composite structures. Empirically, we use the Nagorno-Karabakh-Armenia relationship to demonstrate the framework’s applicability. Central to our analysis are two key research questions: how can we conceptually and empirically reflect on the relationship between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and what have been the factors influencing patterns of stability and change in this relationship? We argue that Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrates amoebic spatiality, characterized by its ability to be both integrated into and dissociated from Armenia. This relationship is further influenced by the Russian neo-imperial presence, which redefines the region’s strategic calculus. Our research explores two key dyads of interaction between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh: identity and territory for contingency and amoebicity, and diplomacy and economy for stable interconnection. Although Nagorno-Karabakh was seized by Azerbaijan and its unrecognized republic dissolved in 2024, the hierarchized amoebic composite framework allows us to study the ongoing transformation. We suggest that while traditional perspectives consider the conflict resolved with Nagorno-Karabakh’s incorporation into Azerbaijan, our framework indicates a spatial shift of the conflict’s epicenter to Armenia. This shift involves the same actors in a reconfigured yet persistent struggle, highlighting the conflict’s evolving nature. Through this perspective, we offer fresh insights into conflict mechanisms and coexistence in post-Soviet spaces and beyond, challenging the Westphalian model’s limits in explaining the complex spatial realities.