CONSTITUTIONALIZATION, ETHNIC NATIONALISM AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF REGIONS; A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF IRANIAN AZERBAIJAN REGION AND GORNO-BADAKHSHAN AUTONOMOUS REGION OF TAJIKISTAN UNDER BRI + CPEC SCENARIO

Abstract

Iranian Azerbaijan Region and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan are existed at that geographical location where uncountable interests of major powers exist including China. Although, Iranian and Tajik constitutions provide equal rights to all the segments of society without any discrimination but, their authoritarian structure force ethnic communities like Iranian Azerbaijanis and Tajik Pamiris to resist against violation of their fundamental human rights. Similarly, Iranian Azerbaijani ethno-national separatists claim their sole right over historical trade route between Europe and Asia along with other trade routes towards Eurasian Caucasian countries. While, Pamir highway and the branches of historical Silk Road (including China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) are claimed by Pamiris which link Central Asia with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Russia. Any effort or movement to disintegrate Iranian Azerbaijan Region or Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region from their countries can be a great shock for socio-economic infrastructure that will destabilize them more. This study not only discusses historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious similarities of both regions but also analyze their political economy for either Iran, Tajikistan or major powers including China during 2022. Similarly, impacts of Post-Soviet Russian policies (sometimes refers as Putinism or Neo-Sovietism) on both regions is also examined in this study. Moreover, due to Persian linguistic background, differences of Iran and Tajikistan with Arab World is being illustrated in the last.