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Opinion | Azerbaijan’s traditional opposition needs to appeal to the young
Recent protests in Azerbaijan suggest that, after a long period of stagnation, the nature of protest is changing. However, for a radical transformation of the political landscape to take place, the...
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Opinion | Ilham Aliyev’s anti-Europe speech foreshadows big changes in...
A recent speech by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shows a shift towards a new anti-European conservatism and an attempt to cultivate a new base amongst Azerbaijani youth against the background of...
View ArticleOpinion | After disappointing elections a new way forward for Azerbaijan’s...
After disappointing elections, Azerbaijan’s opposition must reckon with the failure of an ‘elections only’ strategy. Lessons learned during the electoral campaign will be crucial. Snap parliamentary...
View ArticleOpinion | Azerbaijan’s crowd reawakens with a fury
The massive protest in Baku on the night of 14 July took the government, the opposition, and civil society completely by surprise. Long thought to be dormant and apathetic, the Azerbaijani crowd roared...
View ArticleOpinion | To stand for peace, in spite of everything
In Azerbaijan, trauma is a part of national identity. Today, it feeds the war and silences voices for peace. But would-be peacemakers, no matter how hard it is, must have compassion for and engage with...
View ArticleOpinion | Azerbaijan’s new reality
Ilham Aliyev’s government has never enjoyed such mass support as it does now. With the Victory Parade was its crowning moment, it is now obvious that, at present, any opposition to the authorities is...
View ArticleOpinion | The ignored, the unwanted, and the unforgiven
Victory Day was a showcase for the new dominant state narrative in Azerbaijan and its widespread popular adoption. The recent burst of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other...
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Opinion | The war never ended; the peace process never existed
Azerbaijani politics has taken a dark turn towards irredentism with its cult of brute force and victory. There can be no lasting peace with Armenians until we dismantle the vengeful founding myths of...
View ArticleOpinion | Azerbaijan needs an alternative to nationalist militarism
As Azerbaijan becomes increasingly aggressive towards Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, civil society must step up and propose a progressive alternative to Baku’s rule — one that challenges the nationalist...
View ArticleOpinion | How Azerbaijan uses ‘anti-colonialism’ to authoritarian ends
Azerbaijan’s official statements have in recent months taken a new turn, using anti-colonial rhetoric to criticise Western countries for their involvement in the region. In doing so, discourse that...
View ArticleOpinion | Azerbaijan’s cooling relations with Turkey
Bahruz Samadov submitted this article shortly before his arrest on 21 August. He was charged with treason on 23 August, and could face 12–20 years in prison or a life sentence if found guilty. Despite...
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