Primordialism, perennialism, modernism and ethno-symbolism: The perception of homeland and identity among Azerbaijani Lezgins.

This article examines the evolving ethnic self-perception among Lezgis, one of Azerbaijan's largest ethnic minorities, focusing on differences between communities in various Azerbaijani districts, particularly contrasting Qusar with non-Qusar regions. Using semi-structured interviews and applying four ethnonationalism paradigms—primordialism, perennialism, modernism, and ethno-symbolism—the study finds that Qusar Lezgis exhibit stronger primordialist and ethno-symbolist attachments to language, territory, and cultural institutions, while Lezgis in more ethnically mixed districts show modernist tendencies toward acculturation and assimilation into Azerbaijani society. The research highlights internal "us versus them" dynamics within the Lezgi community, revealing significant intra-ethnic variation in identity salience and political attitudes. It also identifies a theoretical gap in nationalism studies regarding such intra-group divisions, suggesting that classical paradigms remain useful for understanding minority ethnic self-identification in post-Soviet contexts.