Voices of South Azerbaijan: The Memory Destruction and Reconstruction Games within the Scope of Persianization Politics in Iran

The Memory Destruction and Reconstruction Games within the Scope of Persianization Politics in Iran

Aug 05, 2025

The article, titled “The Memory Destruction and Reconstruction Games within the Scope of Persianization Politics in Iran” by Dr. Artum Dinç, published in the Journal of Nationalism, Memory & Language Politics, explores how the Iranian state’s Persianization policies since 1925 have deliberately manipulated collective memory to marginalize Turkish ethno-national identity. Focusing on cultural symbols, historical artifacts, names, and language, the study reveals the systematic erasure and rewriting of Turkish heritage within Iran’s nation-building efforts. It also highlights the active resistance of Turks through various cultural and political means to preserve their identity and memory in the face of official efforts to forget and assimilate non-Persian communities.

Read the full article from here.

The Voices of Azerbaijan is dedicated to exploring and amplifying the experiences of marginalized Turkish communities in South Azerbaijan and broader Iran. We examine the intersections of ethnicity, language, gender, class, power, and marginalization, offering a platform for these communities to share their voices and engage in critical discussions. Our mission is to raise awareness, advocate for social justice, and contribute to both academic and public discourse through diverse perspectives.

We explore ethnicity, language, gender, and politics in their full complexity, recognizing communities as social and political agents and examining how these identities shape and are shaped by political and social dynamics.

Our focus encompasses key issues related to language, education, and society, investigating how language policies and educational practices affect the status of ethnic minorities, particularly Turkish-speaking populations. We aim to reveal the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in language and education, illustrating how these factors shape these communities' social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental realities.

Through this blog, we aim to provide valuable insights for community members in Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as for those in the diaspora. Our platform serves journalists, writers, academics, and students seeking to understand the social, cultural, economic, and political positions of Iran’s ethnic and linguistic minoritized communities. We critically examine power relations and the marginalization these groups face, focusing on topics neglected by mainstream media and academic research in Iran.

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The Memory Destruction and Reconstruction Games within the Scope of Persianization Politics in Iran