Caught up in the past? The weaponisation of history in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Lecture by David Leupold (ZMO) at the Körber History Forum

In autumn 2020, the protracted conflict over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh led to renewed war between Armenia and Azerbaijan -with the participation of other regional actors. Since the end of the Soviet Union, the two Caucasus republics have been caughtin a vicious circle of violence and counter-violence that has hindered democratisation and economic cooperation in the region and entrenched militaristic and patriarchal structures. Which historical narratives and which instruments of memory culture do both sides employ to underpin their respective interpretations of the past? And which initiatives from civil society and alternative political and cultural actors can break the downward spiral of war and violence?

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