Empire and Names: The Case of Nagorno Karabakh
Abstract
The Nagorno Karabakh region in Western Azerbaijan has been the site of a bloody conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1992. Both nations claim historic ties to the area as independent kingdoms
or as autonomous vassal nations under larger empires.
This paper will survey toponymic patterns in the 20th century of Nagorno Karabakh, under Soviet and
post-Soviet rule. How did toponyms change in the 20th century? Has toponymic reality followed demographic
reality? How did the Soviet toponymic system differ from previous imperial or national systems?
Lastly, what does Karabakh’s toponymic history in the 20th century have to contribute to the discussion on
the Soviets’ treatment of nationalism, and to the discussion on the ongoing tension over Karabakh?
This paper will attempt to answer these questions by examining past and present maps, policy
documents, and other textual sources to provide a toponymic history of Nagorno Karabakh. This history
will help explain how the current toponymic landscape of Karabakh came to be, and whether or not
toponymic actions and policies may have contributed to the conflict. By bringing this aspect of Karabakh’s
history to light, I hope to show how the toponym, an important cultural symbol, plays a role in interethnic
relations.
Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1992. Both nations claim historic ties to the area as independent kingdoms
or as autonomous vassal nations under larger empires.
This paper will survey toponymic patterns in the 20th century of Nagorno Karabakh, under Soviet and
post-Soviet rule. How did toponyms change in the 20th century? Has toponymic reality followed demographic
reality? How did the Soviet toponymic system differ from previous imperial or national systems?
Lastly, what does Karabakh’s toponymic history in the 20th century have to contribute to the discussion on
the Soviets’ treatment of nationalism, and to the discussion on the ongoing tension over Karabakh?
This paper will attempt to answer these questions by examining past and present maps, policy
documents, and other textual sources to provide a toponymic history of Nagorno Karabakh. This history
will help explain how the current toponymic landscape of Karabakh came to be, and whether or not
toponymic actions and policies may have contributed to the conflict. By bringing this aspect of Karabakh’s
history to light, I hope to show how the toponym, an important cultural symbol, plays a role in interethnic
relations.