Əlirza Quluncu (Alirza Quluncu) - April 28, 2017
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| South Azerbaijani Turk Student Activists Rallying at Tehran University with Banner "We are Türk" |
"‘New’ is not inevitably the rejection of ‘old’ in any situation. Just because something is ‘new’ doesn’t necessarily make it more innocent or superior to what is ‘old,’" says Artum Dinc, emphasizing the slogan "Hey, Hey, I am a Turk!" [“Haray haray mən Türkəm] in South [Azerbaijan] has not become outdated. On the contrary, it is functional, practical, effective, and lively. In a conversation with the Voice of America, the sociologist shares his thoughts on recent national identity debates and the slogans Turk activists [in Iran] voiced.
In the interview, Artum Dinc evaluates the Soviets' transformation of Turkish identity into Azerbaijani identity. According to him, the most important and decisive question in this assessment is "Who benefited from this change, what was its purpose, and with whose will was it carried out?"
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| Artum Dinc |
According to him, the Moscow-centered colonial political authority altered the fundamental elements that constitute the "we" understanding, namely language and ethnic identity, in line with its own will and interests.
"The primary symbolic codes constituting the 'we' perception within the national identity framework in the Republic of Azerbaijan, namely the names of language and ethnic identity, underwent alteration. This change was orchestrated by the dominant and subversive Moscow-based colonial political power, representing socialist Russian nationalism. It transformed these codes into the name of geography, aligning with the authority's 'will' and 'interests.'" Artum Dinc illustrated the transformation by saying, "A person who went to bed as a Turk at night woke up as an Azerbaijani the next day."
He adds, "The most important and defining question about the enforcement process is this: who and what benefited this paradigm shift? By whose will did it come true? The correct answer to this question can be found in the 'Divide and rule' policy, which symbolizes colonial history. You have to ask why "Russians" did not become "Leningradian" or "Moscowian," while "Turk" became "Azerbaijani"? Is the population of the geographical area known as Russia today solely comprised of Russians? If not, and it isn't, then why is it called Russia and not Altai-Siberia?"
Poet and writer Rasim Garaja, from the Republic of Azerbaijan, who gave an interview to the Voice of America last week, stated that the slogan "Hey, I'm a Turk" used in protest rallies in Iranian Azerbaijan is outdated and ineffective.
However, Artum Dinc emphasizes that, in today's conditions, this slogan remains "the most functional, compelling, practical, effective, and peaceful means of Turkish resistance against Persianization in Iran, demanding rights."
The researcher evaluates the famous slogan in two ways. "On one hand, this slogan represents the practical experiences of everyday life, embodying unquestioned preconceptions. On the other hand, it serves as a foundation for a deliberate and purposeful strategic action," he says.
Dinc points out that the slogan "Hey, I'm a Turk" is "extremely clear and serves as a pathway to an achievable objective."
"This goal is based on a current, exciting, and action-inducing ethical understanding. It is the justice, freedom, and recognition that are necessary to be a person of the time," he states.
Dinc also underscores the demands voiced by Turkish activists through this slogan, advocating for an end to policies that misrepresent and deny Turkish identity, as well as calling for an end to Turkophobia in Iran.
Link to the interview: https://www.amerikaninsesi.org/a/artum-dinc/3824478.html