The Political and Cultural Future of Karabakh Armenians

Abstract

The Azerbaijani military offensive in September 2023 with the aim of reintegrating the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh led to a mass exodus of almost the entire de facto state’s population of ethnic Armenians. Today, at least one in every 30 people living in Armenia is a refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh. Tere are many practical issues involved in integrating them into Armenian society. But what has happened to their political and cultural destiny since they were uprooted from their native land, and what will happen in the future? In our paper, we first examine the current situation of the displaced people with regard to their integration into Armenian society. We then in the second part of the contribution shed light on the political views, perceptions of the conflict, and personal experiences of Karabakh Armenians. We rely on unique survey data from Nagorno-Karabakh, with two waves in 2011 (N = 800) and 2020 (N = 820), in order to delineate prior patterns and self-positioning. Moreover, we compare respondents' views per socio-demographic factors and lived experience. Based on the findings, we draw conclusions on prospects for integration and, more broadly, for the cultural and political future of Karabakh Armenians.