Language as a soft power resource
The case of Azerbaijan
Gulshan Pashayeva | Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The term soft power, developed by Joseph Nye, is a widely popular concept used to describe efforts to attract rather than coerce as means of persuasion. Language, which is widely viewed as a traditional (not to say extremely important) component of nationhood and a symbol of identity and group consciousness, can be used as an expression of soft power resources within this context. It is apparent that in today’s globalized world, the role of international languages as global means of communication has increased considerably. At the same time, English has become the de facto lingua franca in international trade, academia, technology and many other fields. Against this background, this article examines the impact of language as a soft power resource in the case of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is a multi-ethnic state located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Due to its geographic location, the constant migrations of people who have passed through its territory throughout the centuries, and it has long been a zone of active interaction of languages, cultures and civilizations.
Keywords: soft power, lingua franca, English language, international language, Russian language
Published online: 21 June 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00016.pas
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00016.pas
References
References
Baker, C., & Jones, S.
(Eds.) (1998) Encyclopedia of bilingualism and bilingual education. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
British Council
(2017) Contribution to UK soft power. Downloaded from http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/facts/what-the-british-council-does/contribution-uk-soft-power
Concept for State Support and Promotion of the Russian Language Abroad
EF English Proficiency Index
(2016) Downloaded from http://www.theewf.org/uploads/pdf/ef-epi-2016-english.pdf
Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation
(2016) The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, 1 December 2016 Downloaded from http://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/official_documents/-/asset_publisher/CptICkB6BZ29/content/id/2542248
Garayeva, S.
(2012)
Speak English. И не только
. In Азербайджанские Известия, 6 марта. Downloaded from http://www.azerizv.az/news/a-9866.html
Gromyko, Al. A.
(2013) Русский язык и культура в политике « мягкой силы » России. In Большая Европа в глобальном мире: новые вызовы – новые решения. Институт Европы Российской академии наук, Доклады Института Европы № 292, Москва 2013 (Под редакцией Ал.А. Громыко). Downloaded from http://instituteofeurope.ru/images/uploads/doklad/292.pdf
Guboglo, M.
(1993) Этнодемографическая и языковая ситуация в столицах союзных республик СССР в конце 80-х – начало 90-х годов. Журнал Отечественная история, 1, 53–65.
Haarmaan, H.
(1991) Language politics and the new European identity. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
Huntington, S.
(1996) The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Information on implementation of “State Program on Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad for the years of 2007–2015.”
(2017) The official website for the Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 13 June.
International Organisation of La Francophonie
(2017) Downloaded from http://www.francophonie.org/Welcome-to-the-International.html.
Kamkin, A.
Немецкий язык – быть или не быть? // Российский Совет по международным делам. Аналитика и комментарии, 15 февраля 2013 Downloaded from – http://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/nemetskiy-yazyk-byt-ili-ne-byt/
Kudeyarova, N.
(2013)
Испанский язык: две проекции одного явления // Российский Совет по международным делам. Аналитика и комментарии. 20 ноября. Downloaded from http://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/ispanskiy-yazyk-dve-proektsii-odnogo-yavleniya/
Mammadov, A.
(2009) The issue of plurilingualism and language policy in Azerbaijan. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 198, 65–73.
Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic
(2013) The Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed orders to “expand the scope of the project on intensive English language teaching” and “the continuation of the intensive training of the Russian language.” 25 October. Downloaded from: Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan website. http://www.msu.az/univercity/
Naryshkin, S.
(2017) Дом книги в Баку станет центром российской культуры, Вести.ru, 24 ноября 2009 Downloaded from http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=327554
Nye, N.
(1990) Bound to lead: The changing nature of American power. New York: Basic Books.
Nye, J.
(2004) Soft power: The means to success in world politics. New York: Public Affairs.
MSU
(2018) Об университете. Официальный сайт Филиала Московского государственного университета имени М.В.Ломоносова (2017) Downloaded from – http://www.msu.az/univercity/
Pashayeva, G.
(2010) From Soviet to European language policy standards: The case of Azerbaijan. Journal of International Affairs, 2(2), 133–148.
(2013) Russian language in Azerbaijan: Realities and prospects. In M. Rovinskaya (Ed.), Conference Proceedings: The Russian language abroad (pp. 128–146). St Petersburg: Zlataust.
(2016) Мировые языки как составная часть публичной дипломатии. In SAM Комментарии, Центр Стратегических Исследований при Президенте Азербайджанской Республики, выпуск 16, ноябрь, Баку.
Russian Cultural and Education Center ‘The Moscow Auditorium’
Smith, M.
(1998) Language and power in the creation of the USSR, 1917–1953. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
Sputnik Azerbaijan
(2016) Джаббаров: в АР русский преподается в более чем 300 учебных заведениях. 28 ноября. Downloaded from https://ru.sputnik.az/science/20161128/407877636/mikail-dzhabbarov-ruskij-jazyk-prepodavanie.html
State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(2017) Population by ethnic groups. Official website, http://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/ap/en/1_5en.xls
State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(2017) Population by native language use. Official website, http://www.stat.gov.az/source/demoqraphy/ap/en/1_5en.xls
Volodarskaya, E. F.
(2009) Модели языковой политики стран мира: сравнительно-типологический анализ. Вопросы филологии, 1(31), 24–45.
Заявления для прессы по итогам российско-азербайджанских переговоров
Zonova, T.
(2012)
Итальянский язык – soft power или dolce potere? // Российский Совет по международным делам. Аналитика и комментарии, 11 декабря 2012 Downloaded from – http://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/italyanskiy-yazyk-soft-power-ili-dolce-potere/