Transcending Physical and Political Borders: Nostalgia and the Araz River

This study examines the enduring phenomenon of collective nostalgia among Turkic people on both sides of the Araz River, which challenges the significance of geopolitical borders and fosters a mental erosion of their impact. Despite two centuries of efforts by governing authorities to assimilate the Azerbaijani population through cultural integration and stricter border controls, a shared cultural identity rooted in Bayati (or Mani) has persisted. As a cornerstone of Turkic oral literature, Bayati expresses the pain of separation and longing for unity, often using emotionally charged phrases like O tay-Bu tay or O yan-Bu yan ("the other side—this side") to reflect the agonizing division between ethnic fellows. This study also investigates the cultural and symbolic narratives that differentiate the region's communities, highlighting how Azerbaijanis leverage cultural expression to counteract imposed divisions. Through statistical analysis of Bayati and its sociopolitical implications, the research underscores the symbolic role of the Araz River as both a divider and a unifier, illustrating how nostalgia resists commodification, sustains collective memory, and shapes contemporary identity in a globalized world.