THE IDEA OF THE UNITY OF THE MOTHERLAND IN THE POETRY OF SOUTHERN AZERBAIJAN

Abstract

The issue of ethnic division (divided nations) remains one of the most pressing problems in contemporary global politics. The term ‘divided ethnos’ typically refers to peoples whose historical ethnic territories have been fragmented by modern state borders due to various political and historical circumstances. In such cases, the ethnic boundaries shaped over centuries do not align with the official geopolitical borders. The division of an ethnic group, regardless of its geographic location or population size, poses serious challenges not only to the group itself but also to its surrounding regions and, in some cases, to global stability, as exemplified by cases such as Korea, Taiwan, and Kashmir.
Today, numerous divided ethnic groups exist across the world. Among them are the Azerbaijani Turks living in the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the Azerbaijani-inhabited border regions of Iran, Georgia, and Russia, areas that historically belong to the Azerbaijani people. Undoubtedly, this group also includes the hundreds of thousands of compatriots who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands in Armenia. In the collective consciousness of Azerbaijani society, whose territory was divided between Russia and Iran two centuries ago, ideas concerning the fragmentation of the homeland and aspirations for the reunification of its lands have found varied expression. While these ideas have at times been discussed in political and legal frameworks, they have most consistently and vividly manifested in the literary sphere.
In the current context of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan, marked by its growing economic, political, and military strength and emergence as a regional leader, there is a noticeable resurgence of the idea of national unity and independence among intellectuals and literary figures in Southern Azerbaijan. This idea is gradually gaining strength and attracting wider attention. Notably, despite harsh repression, Southern Azerbaijani poets representing diverse literary traditions and worldviews play a significant role in spreading these ideals. This article analyzes and evaluates their literary works in this context. The findings suggest that, regardless of whether they reside in their homeland or in exile, Southern Azerbaijani poets are skillfully utilizing the opportunities afforded by modern information technologies. Their literary activity signals the beginning of a new phase in addressing the issue of national unity.