Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

1.3. Azerbaijani Multiculturalism as an Academic Discipline

Ethnic, racial, religious and cultural diversity exists in the majority of countries at present. It is the result of objective, historical processes and is completely natural. Many states have favourable historical and geographical conditions for the protection of diversity. Unfortunately, there are very few countries in which the protection of diversity is regarded as a major objective of state policy. The Republic of Azerbaijan is one of the rare states to have adopted multiculturalism as a state policy. President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly noted in his speeches that multiculturalism is a state policy. In one of his speeches he said the following: ‘There is no alternative to multiculturalism. Of course, we are aware that there are different opinions and views concerning it. Some people claim that multiculturalism has failed, but there are also positive examples. Multiculturalism is a state policy for us and it is our way

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    of life.’
    

A dualistic approach to multiculturalism can be said to have emerged in the world. There is no multicultural climate in the advanced European countries; it has remained outside state policy and been left to its own devices. In these countries people no longer believe in the future of multiculturalism. David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain (2010-16), thought the situation so hopeless that he said the policy of multiculturalism had failed. This can be regarded as the pessimistic pole of multiculturalism policy.

The second, optimistic pole is that taken by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan is a country, where multiculturalism triumphs and is state policy.

Historically Azerbaijan has been a multicultural and tolerant country, and multiculturalism has risen to the level of a way of life. The Azerbaijani state has implemented major projects to protect ethnocultural diversity in society. This has made Azerbaijan a centre of multiculturalism in the world. Such terms as ‘multiculturalism’ and ‘the model of Azerbaijani multiculturalism’ have entered the vocabulary. Interest in Azerbaijan’s progressive experience in the sphere of multiculturalism is increasing in the world. The most striking sign of this is the teaching of the discipline ‘Azerbaijani multiculturalism’ in a number of universities in Azerbaijan and abroad.

What does this discipline teach?

The discipline of ‘Azerbaijani Multiculturalism’ teaches the reasons for the birth of multiculturalism down the centuries, its essence, its theoretical, ideological and legal-normative foundations, its distinguishing features, including its advantages and the prospects for its development.

The main goal of the discipline is, therefore, to explain to students the essence of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s policy of multiculturalism, its characteristics and the reasons for its successful implementation.

At the same time the students of Azerbaijani Multiculturalism learn about the emergence and development of the history, literature, culture, language, psychology, ethnography, politics and

Section I

Chapter 1

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Azerbaijani Multiculturalism

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sociology of Azerbaijan. This then takes them to the nearby area, the Caucasus, and further afield to the whole Orient.