New fighting has flared in Nagorno-Karabakh.  A disputed territory, its ownership and jurisdiction have been a source of contention between Armenia and Azerbaijan since even prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union. While intermittent violence is a common companion to territorial uncertainty, to many analysts, this violence seems different.

Time, events, and opportunities for scholarly research can help observers determine whether this shift from fragile stability to violence portends an alteration in power and intent by regional and local players. Such a change would likely disrupt the current stalemate that has undergirded the relative peace of Nagorno-Karabakh’s condition. It may also push the issue of its political status, either as a part of Armenia, as a part of Azerbaijan, or as an independent state. What is certain, however, is that these current events have implications for our understanding of Eurasian regional politics well beyond the boundaries of this contested territory. 

Scholarly analyses of events in Nagorno-Karabakh draw from any number of themes, among them the role of external actors in on-going territorial conflicts, the political economies of maintaining military arsenals, the implications for regime type, the power (and powerlessness) of domestic actors, and the ongoing power of identity and narratives of ownership. The circumstances in Nagorno-Karabakh remind us of the profound emotional attachments that land can evoke, as well as cautions us of the sacrifices that men, women and children make – and are called upon to make – to protect and claim it.

The editorial team at Nationalities Papers examined our archives and put together this virtual issue – a compendium of articles published in our journal that address various contours of the region and conflict, as well as the societal and political conversation that swirls around it.

It is important to note that the coverage this virtual issue provides is neither systematic nor comprehensive. Nonetheless, in the spirit of offering context and analysis, as well as inviting openness and transparency in academic (rather than policy) debates, we invite you to engage and examine these works.